待机 (dài jī) — to bide one's time; to await an opportunity; (of electronic devices) to be on standby

Definition

Literally 'wait for a machine' — 待机 means to stand by or bide one's time. For electronic devices it means standby mode; for people it means waiting for the right moment to act.

verb
to bide one's timeto await an opportunity(of electronic devices) to be on standby

Examples

  • 待机。
    Diàn nǎo zhèng zài dài jī.
    The computer is on standby.
  • 待机，。
    Tā men yì zhí zài dài jī, děng dài zuì hǎo de shí jī.
    They have been biding their time, waiting for the best moment.
  • 。
    Zhè ge shǒu jī dài le yì zhěng tiān de jī.
    This phone has been on standby for a whole day.

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
机jīopportunity

"待" means wait and "机" means opportunity, so it expresses waiting for a chance or a standby state.

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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
木木mùtree; wood
Sound part声符shēngfú
几
几jǐ机jī
Same sound today

The left part is 木 (tree; wood), and the right part 几 gives the sound.

Open 机 →

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