Mandarin TempleMandarin Temple Beta Come for Knowledge. Stay for Wisdom.
Start your Chinese Learning JourneyStart Now
等候 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
等候děnghòuto waitHSK 5, n, rank #5277, Hard
等候děnghòuto wait forHSK 5, n, rank #5277, Hard
děnghòu(deng3hou4) T3
  1. 1to wait
  2. 2to wait for
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026
等候děnghòu(deng3hou4)

等候 (deng3 hou4) means to wait or to wait for something or someone. It is commonly used in contexts where patience is required, such as waiting for a bus, an appointment, or a response. This term conveys a sense of anticipation and can imply a formal or respectful tone in certain situations.

Frequency#5277DifficultyHard
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, waiting can often be viewed as a sign of respect, especially in formal situations, such as waiting for a superior or elder. This cultural nuance highlights the importance placed on patience and respect in social interactions.

Memory Tip

Imagine a person standing by a gate (门) with a large hourglass (时) waiting for someone to arrive. The character 等 combines 'to wait' and 'to be at a certain place', while the 'hou' part suggests that time is passing as they wait. Visualizing this scene can help you remember the meaning and pronunciation.

Meanings of 等候

děnghòu(deng3hou4)
1to wait
2to wait for
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 等候

等候Simplified
—Strokes
—Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#5277Frequency Rank
HSK 2.0L6HSK 3.0L5IntermediateTOCFLL5HSKKL3CEFRB2

Podcast: 等候

JasonAmy

Podcast: 等候

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 等候

Quick Contrast

等待 (dengdài) implies a more active or intentional waiting, while 等候 (děnghòu) often suggests a more passive or formal context.

Memory Mnemonic

Imagine a person standing by a gate (门) with a large hourglass (时) waiting for someone to arrive. The character 等 combines 'to wait' and 'to be at a certain place', while the 'hou' part suggests that time is passing as they wait. Visualizing this scene can help you remember the meaning and pronunciation.

Usage Notes

Be mindful of using 等候 in more formal contexts, as it may sound overly polite in casual conversations. Common collocations include 等候时间 (waiting time) and 等候区 (waiting area). Also, ensure the tones are pronounced correctly, as mixing them could change the meaning.

HSK Study Tips

As an HSK 6 word, 等候 connects well with other advanced vocabulary related to time and patience, such as 等待 (deng3 dai4, to wait) and 期望 (qi1 wang4, to expect). Focus on using it in sentences that describe waiting scenarios to build fluency.

Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, waiting can often be viewed as a sign of respect, especially in formal situations, such as waiting for a superior or elder. This cultural nuance highlights the importance placed on patience and respect in social interactions.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 等候 with 等待, using them interchangeably in casual situations. For example, saying 我在等候朋友 (I am waiting for a friend) may sound too formal; instead, use 我在等待朋友 (I am waiting for a friend).

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 等候

Premium — Locked

AI tone practice

Pro

Drill the tone of 等候 with AI-powered exercises, get instant feedback, and earn XP toward mastery. Interactive tone practice is part of Pro.

Tone drillsInstant feedback+5 XP
See plans to unlock

Component Characters

等děngclass
HSK 212 strokes⺮
View full entry
候hòuto wait
HSK 510 strokes亻
View full entry

Write 等候

等
候

Practice writing 等候 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Grammar Patterns of 等候

等候 functions as a noun — it names a person, place, thing, or concept. Place it as a subject before the verb (主+谓) or as an object after the verb (谓+宾). Most Chinese nouns require a measure word between the number and the noun (e.g. 一个/三本). It carries 2 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.

Exercise 1 of 4

Complete the Sentence

持枪歹徒不慌不忙地走开，坐上一辆____的汽车逃走了。

The gunmen calmly walked away and escaped in a waiting car.

Example Sentences for 等候 (10)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
持枪歹徒不慌不忙地走开，坐上一辆等候的汽车逃走了。

chí qiāng dǎi tú bù huāng bù máng dì zǒu kāi， ， zuò shàng yī liàng děng hòu de qì chē táo zǒu。

The gunmen calmly walked away and escaped in a waiting car.
2
他们的医疗体系有很多不足：要排队等候，资源短缺，设备陈旧。

tā mén de yī liáo tǐ xì yǒu hěn duō bù zú： ： yào pái duì děng， hòu ， zī yuán， duǎn quē ， shè。

Their health-care system suffers from queues, shortages and ropey equipment.
3
3个男人挺直身体，站着等候。

3 3 gè nán rén tǐng zhí shēn， tǐ ， zhàn zháo。

The three men straightened and stood waiting.
4
他们挖好壕沟,等候敌人进攻.

tā mén wā hǎo háo gōu, , děng hòu dí rén jìn.

They dug in and waited for the enemy's attack.
5
在那边等候他们的人控制了局势。

zài nà biān děng hòu tā mén de rén kòng zhì le jú shì。

Whoever was waiting for them there had command of the situation.
6
他在距离那座粉红色的大别墅约80到100码的地方等候着。

tā zài jù lí nà zuò fěn hóng sè de dà bié shù yuē80 80100 dào 100 mǎ de dì fāng děng。

He waited some 80 to 100 yards from the big pink villa.
7
也许在您等候时，您可以去酒吧喝点东西。

yě xǔ zài nín děng hòu shí， ， nín kě yǐ qù jiǔ bā hē diǎn dōng。

Perhaps while you wait you would like a drink at the bar.
8
请在校门口等候, 约翰会到那里接你.

qǐng zài xiào mén kǒu děng hòu, , yuē hàn huì dào nà lǐ jiē.

Please wait at the school gate. John will pick you up there.
9
全家都是惴惴不安地又很兴奋地等候“收蚕”.

quán jiā dū shì zhuì zhuì bù ān dì yòu hěn xīng fèn dì děng hòu“ “ shōu”.

Uneasy but eager, the whole family waited for the eggs to hatch.
10
这家俱乐部债台高筑，其他俱乐部则排着队等候挑选它最优秀的球员。

zhè jiā jù lè bù zhài tái gāo zhù， ， qí tā jù lè bù zé pái zháo duì děng hòu tiāo xuǎn tā zuì yōu xiù de qiú。

The club is in debt while others are queuing to cherry-pick their best players.

Cultural Notes for 等候

🏮Cultural insight

In Chinese culture, waiting can often be viewed as a sign of respect, especially in formal situations, such as waiting for a superior or elder. This cultural nuance highlights the importance placed on patience and respect in social interactions.

Frequently Asked Questions about 等候

While both mean 'to wait', 等候 is often used in more formal contexts, whereas 等待 is more common in everyday conversation.