Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 等 | děng |
| 等待 | děngdài |
| 待 | dài |
| 候 | hòu |
The verb 等 is used to describe delaying an action until an event occurs. It can be used directly with an object, such as 等我 (děng wǒ) for 'wait for me'.
Which one should you use?
While 等 is the common, everyday word for waiting, 等待 is a more formal term often used when referring to abstract or long-term waiting. The forms 待 and 候 are also parts of the vocabulary related to this concept.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
For casual or relaxed situations, such as when talking to siblings or close friends, you can use 等等. A popular and casual way to say 'wait' is 等一下. In semi-formal settings with colleagues or acquaintances, you might use 稍等一下. For professional or service-industry environments, the polite and formal 请稍等 is common and you can use the even more respectful 请稍等片刻 to ask someone to wait for a brief moment.
How does it change in a sentence?
In spoken Chinese, adding 一下 (yíxià) after 等 makes the request to wait sound much more natural and polite. To express whether someone is able or unable to wait, use the potential complement structure: 等得了 means 'can wait' and 等不了 means 'cannot wait'.
How do you pronounce it?
děng
Did you know?
- In Chinese, 等 is used not only as a verb for waiting but also as a word for 'grade' or 'class', such as in 'first class'.
- When listing items, the word 等 is often placed at the end of a list to mean 'and so on' or 'etcetera'.
- The character 等 contains the radical for 'bamboo', referring to the ancient bamboo strips used to classify or grade items.
Examples in context
- 请稍等一下。Please wait a bit.This sentence is useful for practicing a polite request to wait a bit using 等.Tatoeba #423171 by GlossaMatik, translation #423164 by CM
- 現在等一下。Now, wait a second.This sentence shows how to use 等 to say 'wait a second'.Tatoeba #6147564 by verdastelo9604, translation #3563821 by CK
- 他们等得了。They can wait.This sentence demonstrates the potential complement 等 to express the ability to wait.Tatoeba #7841358 by basilhan, translation #2243080 by CK
- 请等待一下。Please wait for a moment.
- 等待商机Waiting for business opportunities
- 等待结果Waiting for the results
- 等待服务Waiting for service
- 非常抱歉，请稍等片刻。I'm very sorry, please wait for a moment.
- 我马上就到，请你等一下。I'll be there soon, please wait a moment.
- 等等，我要先拿东西。Wait, I need to grab something first.
- 232 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Zihan and Haoran are meeting at a cafe.
- 梓涵 Zihan你在等谁？Nǐ zài děng shéi?Who are you waiting for?
- 浩然 Haoran我在等我的朋友。Wǒ zài děng wǒ de péngyou.I am waiting for my friend.
- 梓涵 Zihan他还没到吗？Tā hái méi dào ma?Has he not arrived yet?
- 浩然 Haoran还没，我再等五分钟。Hái méi, wǒ zài děng wǔ fēnzhōng.Not yet, I will wait five more minutes.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “wait” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 候, 待, 等, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
