等 (děng) — to wait / etc.

等 (děng)

等 has two distinct but equally common uses. As a verb it means to wait for someone or something. As a sentence-final particle after a list of items it means and so on or et cetera.

Meanings

1. [verb] To wait; to wait for.
2. [particle] Et cetera; and so on; and the like (after a list of examples).

Example Sentences

请在这里等我。 Qǐng zài zhèlǐ děng wǒ. Please wait for me here.

我们等他来了再出发。 Wǒmen děng tā lái le zài chūfā. We will wait until he arrives before setting off.

桌上有苹果、香蕉、橙子等水果。 Zhuō shang yǒu píngguǒ, xiāngjiāo, chéngzi děng shuǐguǒ. On the table there are apples, bananas, oranges, and other fruits.

他学了英语、法语、西班牙语等语言。 Tā xué le yīngyǔ, fǎyǔ, xībānyáyǔ děng yǔyán. He has studied English, French, Spanish, and other languages.

Collocations

Memory Hook

等 contains 竹 (bamboo) at the top and suggests patience. Bamboo grows slowly but steadily. When you 等, you are as patient as bamboo growing, whether waiting for a person or listing items that continue on like bamboo shoots.