待办 (dài bàn) — to be pending; to be dealt with

Definition

A formal/attributive verb (often in 待办事项 'to-do / pending items') meaning 'awaiting handling.' Not used alone for general actions — pair with a verb like 处理 or 办理 to form a phrase.

verb
to be pendingto be dealt with
Easily confused

Examples

  • 待办。
    Zhè ge wèn tí hái dài bàn chǔ lǐ.
    This issue is still pending to be dealt with.
  • 待办。
    Suǒ yǒu shì qing dōu dài bàn bàn lǐ.
    All matters are pending to be handled.
  • 待办。
    Zhè xiē wén jiàn dài bàn guī dàng.
    These documents need to be archived.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

待dàiwait
办bànhandle

待 means wait and 办 means handle, so it describes something waiting to be handled.

Characters in this word

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

Meaning part形符xíngfú
彳彳chì
Sound part声符shēngfú
寺
寺sì待dài
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

待 is built from 彳 on the left and 寺 on the right; 彳 is tied to the meaning, and 寺 gives the sound.

Open 待 →

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 辦; 办 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
力力lìstrength
Sound part声符shēngfú
辡
辡biàn辦bàn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 辦 combines 力 (strength) with 辡, which gives the sound; the simplified 办 is a later shorthand.

Open 办 →

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