坐等 (zuò děng) — to sit back and wait (for something to happen) | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

坐等 paints a vivid picture of passively waiting — often with a hint of criticism or impatience, as in ‘just sitting around waiting.’ It takes a direct object for what is being awaited.

verb

to sit back and wait (for something to happen)

Examples

，坐等。
Jī huì bú huì zì jǐ lái, wǒ men bù néng guāng zuò děng.
Opportunities won't come on their own; we can't just sit back and wait.
坐等，。
Tā men zuò děng jié guǒ, xīn lǐ hěn zháo jí.
They sat back and waited for the results, feeling very anxious.
坐等，！
Bié zài zuò děng le, xíng dòng qǐ lái ba!
Stop just sitting back and waiting; take action!

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

坐 gives the sitting posture, and 等 is the waiting action.

Characters in this word

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

留留liúto stay
土土tǔground

The form 坐 combines 留, 'to stay', and 土, 'ground'.

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

竹寺等

Meaning part形符xíngfú

竹竹zhúbamboo

Sound part声符shēngfú

寺

寺sì等děng

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The top 竹 shows bamboo strips used for writing and sorting; the bottom 寺 once gave the sound, but now sounds different.

Appears in

Will & Intention

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