Chinese word

期待

Pronunciation

Pinyinqī dài

Meaning

  • verblook forward to

Example

我很期待明天的聚会。wǒ hěn qī dài míng tiān de jù huì

I am really looking forward to tomorrow's gathering.

Illustration for 期待 (look forward to)

More examples

我一直期待你的回复。wǒ yì zhí qī dài nǐ de huí fù

I have always looked forward to your response.

Core concept

Looking ahead to something with both desire for it and a sense of what may happen.

Common phrases

  • 期待你的回复qī dài nǐ de huí fù

    look forward to your response

  • 期待假期qī dài jià qī

    look forward to the holidays

  • 期待下次见面qī dài xià cì jiàn miàn

    look forward to meeting you next time

Similar words

希望xī wàng: Wanting something hoped for in the future to become true.
预期yù qī: Forming an expectation about a future result from information or plans.
预计yù jì: Estimating a future result or number from data and present conditions.
估计gū jì: Judging an approximate result or amount from experience and available clues.

Definition in Chinese

对未来的事情抱有希望或预期，既可以是主观的盼望，也可以表示对结果的某种估计。duì wèi lái de shì qíng bào yǒu xī wàng huò yù qī jì ké yǐ shì zhǔ guān de pàn wàng yě ké yǐ biǎo shì duì jié guǒ de móu zhǒng gū jì

Word origin

期待 (qīdài, "look forward to; expect") joins 期 (qī, "set time") and 待 (dài, "wait"), creating the image of waiting for a future time and what it brings.

Usage tips

  • English speakers may expect a preposition after this verb, but Chinese places the event, person, or action immediately after it.

Other meanings

  • expectationnoun

Opposites

Related words

  • 期待感qī dài gǎnanticipationnoun

Word lists with this word