等
to wait; et cetera; rank/class
HSK level
- Pinyin
- děng
- Part of speech
- verb
- Level
- HSK 3
- Strokes
- 12
- Register
- neutral
Stroke order for 等
等 is written with 12 strokes. The animation replays automatically.
What does 等 mean?
等 (děng) is a high-frequency word with three connected meanings.
First and most common, it's the verb 'to wait' — 等一下 'wait a moment,' 等他 'wait for him.' Second, it works as a list closer meaning 'et cetera / and so on' — '苹果、香蕉、橙子等水果' 'fruits like apples, bananas, oranges, etc.' Third, it acts as a noun/suffix meaning 'rank, class, or grade' — 头等 (top class), 一等奖 (first prize). For English speakers, two surprises: first, 等 used as a verb does NOT need a preposition like 'for' — say '我等你' not '我等为你.'
Second, when 等 closes a list it can stand alone or repeat as 等等 ('etc., etc.'); the doubled form sounds more conversational while the single 等 fits formal writing. Tone-wise, 等 is third tone (děng) — distinct from 灯 (dēng, lamp).
Note: 等 has two everyday roles and one formal one. As a verb 'to wait' it is fully neutral. As a list-ending particle 'et cetera / and so on' it appears in both writing and speech (more common in writing). As 'rank / class / grade' (一等, 头等) it's slightly formal.
Example sentences
请等一下，我马上来。
Qǐng děng yíxià, wǒ mǎshàng lái.
Please wait a moment, I'm coming right away.
spoken, polite
我在门口等你。
Wǒ zài ménkǒu děng nǐ.
I'll wait for you at the door.
spoken
他等了一个小时。
Tā děng le yí gè xiǎoshí.
He waited for an hour.
neutral
我喜欢苹果、香蕉、橙子等水果。
Wǒ xǐhuan píngguǒ, xiāngjiāo, chéngzi děng shuǐguǒ.
I like fruits such as apples, bananas, oranges, and so on.
neutral
等等，你说什么？
Děngděng, nǐ shuō shénme?
Hold on — what did you say?
spoken
Common phrases with 等
Synonyms
稍等 = 'wait briefly,' more polite/formal, common in service contexts (please hold, one moment please). 等一下 is the everyday spoken version.
等候 is formal/written ('please wait for your number to be called'). 等 alone is the spoken default. Signs and announcements use 等候; people in conversation use 等.
等待 is also more formal and often used for waiting for an outcome, opportunity, or result ('await'). 等 is for everyday waiting on people and things.
Don't confuse 等 with
灯 (first tone) means 'lamp/light.' 等 (third tone) means 'to wait.' Same initial sound but different tone and different character. 开灯 turn on the light; 等一下 wait a moment.
登 (first tone) means 'to ascend, climb, board' (登机 board a plane). Different tone from 等 (děng) and different meaning.
Doubled 等等 has two readings: (1) 'hold on a sec' as a casual interjection; (2) 'etc., and so on' closing a list. Context tells you which — but a single 等 only acts as 'and so on' in writing, while 等等 is the spoken way to say 'etc.'
FAQ
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