等候 (děng hòu) — to wait for; to await (formal)

Definition

等候 is the formal written 'to wait for,' stronger than the everyday 等. Unlike 等待, it often implies waiting at a specific place for a person or result.

verb

to wait forto await (formal)

等候。
Qǐng zài mén kǒu děng hòu.
Please wait at the door.
等候。
Tā men yǐ jīng děng hòu le bàn gè xiǎo shí le.
They have been waiting for half an hour.
等候。
Dà jiā zài yī yuàn děng hòu jiǎn chá jié guǒ.
Everyone is waiting for the test results at the hospital.

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

等 and 候 both mean wait, forming a word for awaiting.

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.

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.

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

亻Written in full as人rén

Sound part声符shēngfú

矦

矦hóu候hòu

Same sound today

候 combines 亻, relating to people, with 矦, which gives the sound.

Appears in