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等待 (děng dài) — to wait for, to await

Definition

等待 is a formal verb meaning 'to wait for' — longer and more written than the everyday 等, with no sense of 'et cetera'. 等候 is similar but slightly more formal still; 期待 adds a sense of eager anticipation.

verb
to wait forto await

Examples

  • 等待。
    Wǒ zài děng dài xià kè.
    I am waiting for class to end.
  • 等待。
    Tā děng dài zhè ge jī huì yǐ jīng hěn jiǔ le.
    She has been waiting for this opportunity for a long time.
  • 等待。
    Wǒ men děng dài chūn tiān de dào lái.
    We await the arrival of spring.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

等děngwait
待dàiwait

The parts 等 and 待 both mean 'wait', so the word expresses waiting.

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
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.

Open 等 →

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 →
Appears in
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