English–Chinese

“wait and see” in Chinese

Chinese

Also拭目以待 (shì mù yǐ dài)

Pronunciation

Pinyinguān wàng

Example

他暂时选择观望，不表态。tā zàn shí xuǎn zé guān wàng bù biǎo tài

He chooses to wait and see for now without taking a position.

Illustration for 观望 (wait and see)

How to say “wait and see” in Chinese

“Wait and see” in Chinese is 观望 (guān wàng).

A person stays on the sidelines, watching events unfold before choosing a position or taking action.

Full entry for 观望: usage tips, similar words and word origin

Example sentences with 观望

面对不确定的市场，他决定先观望，暂缓投资。miàn duì bú què dìng de shì chǎng tā jué dìng xiān guān wàng zàn huǎn tóu zī

Facing an uncertain market, he decided to wait and see first and put off investing.

Tips for using 观望

  • This verb has a formal register, making it more natural in reports, meetings, and public comments than in relaxed conversation.

Other Chinese words for “wait and see”

新产品发布时，大家都在拭目以待。xīn chán pǐn fā bù shí dà jiā dōu zài shì mù yǐ dài

At the launch of the new product, everyone is waiting and watching.

“wait and see” in other languages