() - to wait for & to await

Tone 2

qí | 9 strokes | radical:

·

to wait for;

to await;

a surname

to wait forto awaita surname

Usage highlights

wait for an opportunityawait orderswait for the right timeawait implementationwait for dawnawait further instructions

Synonyms

  • to wait
  • to await
  • to wait for

Antonyms

  • urgent; hasty
  • to hurry; to rush

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • We must wait for the right opportunity (俟机).
  • He awaits further instructions (俟命).
  • The plan awaits implementation (俟行).
  • They waited for the storm to pass (俟风暴过去).

Collocations

  • wait for an opportunity(俟机)
  • await orders(俟命)
  • wait for the right time(俟时)
  • await implementation(俟行)
  • wait for dawn(俟旦)
  • await further instructions(俟令)

Idioms

  • Wait for the price to rise(俟价而沽)
  • Wait for the rabbit to hit the tree stump(守株俟兔)
  • Wait for the wind to come(俟风而动)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • Used in classical Chinese literature to denote patient waiting or anticipation.
  • Appears in historical texts and formal contexts, conveying a sense of dignified expectation.
  • The character is relatively rare in modern usage but retains formal and literary connotations.

FAQ