Learn Chinese Characters

Meaning

class; rank; grade; equal to; same as; wait for

Chinese: 等待、等级或同类。

Hear the Four Tones

The same syllable “deng” becomes a different word in each tone. 等 is the 3rd tone. Tap any tone to hear a native voice and see its pitch shape.

Stroke Order

Tap Animate to watch the strokes in order, or Practice to trace it yourself.

Common Words

  • 等于děng yúto equal; to be tantamount to
  • 等到děng dàoto wait until; by the time when (sth is ready etc)
  • 平等píng děngequal; equality
  • 等待děng dàito wait; to wait for
  • 等级děng jígrade; rank; status

Example Sentence

请等我一下。Qǐng děng wǒ yí xià.Please wait for me a moment.

Qǐngto askděngto wait forI一下yí xiàall at once

Go deeper

Where this character comes from

The bamboo radical 竹 over 寺 (an office): sorting bamboo slips into ranks — ‘rank, class, grade; equal; to wait; and so on, et cetera’ (等待, 平等, 等等).

A way to remember it

Sorting into ranks — equal; to wait; etc.