English–Chinese

“wait” in Chinese

Chinese

Also等候 (děng hòu) · 等待 (děng dài)

Pronunciation

Pinyinděng

Example

你先走，我等你。nǐ xiān zǒu wǒ děng nǐ

You go first, and I'll wait for you.

Illustration for 等 (wait)

How to say “wait” in Chinese

“Wait” in Chinese is 等 (děng).

It leaves the next turn open for a person, an event, or another item in a series.

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

Example sentences with 等

请等一下，我马上来。qíng děng yí xià wǒ mǎ shàng lái

Please wait a bit; I'll come right away.

Tips for using 等

  • In everyday speech, 等一下 (děng yíxià, "wait a moment") marks a short pause, while 等一会儿 (děng yíhuìr, "wait a while") frames the pause with a time expression.

Other Chinese words for “wait”

等候在门口。děng hòu zài mén kǒu

Wait by the door.

请在这里等待一下。qǐng zài zhè lǐ děng dài yí xià

Please wait here for a moment.

“wait” in other languages