(huái) - To pace back and forth & to hesitate

Tone 2

huái | 9 strokes | radical:

· huái

To pace back and forth;

to hesitate;

to wander aimlessly.

To pace back and forthto hesitateto wander aimlessly.

Usage highlights

Pace back and forthHesitate and wanderWander the streetsLinger in memoryWander aimlesslyHesitate at a crossroads

Synonyms

Antonyms

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • He paced back and forth in the room (在房间里徘徊).
  • She hesitated at the crossroads of life (在人生的十字路口徘徊).
  • The ghost was said to wander in the old mansion (在古宅中徘徊).
  • Memories lingered in my mind (在脑海中徘徊).

Collocations

  • Pace back and forth(徘徊)
  • Hesitate and wander(徘徊不定)
  • Wander the streets(街头徘徊)
  • Linger in memory(记忆徘徊)
  • Wander aimlessly(徘徊不前)
  • Hesitate at a crossroads(在十字路口徘徊)

Idioms

  • To hesitate and not advance(徘徊不前)
  • To pace up and down(徘徊往复)
  • To wander between life and death(生死徘徊)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • Often used in classical Chinese poetry to describe wandering or hesitation, conveying a sense of melancholy or uncertainty.
  • In modern usage, it can describe both physical pacing and mental indecision.
  • Frequently appears in contexts describing ghosts or spirits wandering in specific locations.

FAQ