等 meaning and stroke order
To wait for; to await; by the time; when; till; and so on; etc.; et al.
How to write 等, stroke by stroke
12 strokes in order. Each box adds the next stroke in red. Write top to bottom and left to right, and finish enclosing strokes last.
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8
- 9
- 10
- 11
- 12
Meaning of 等
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- to wait for; to await
- by the time; when; till
- and so on; etc.; et al.
- (bound form) class; rank; grade
- (bound form) equal to; same as
- (used to end an enumeration)
How 等 is built
Ideographic (compound meaning) character. Bamboo strips ⺮ laid before a court 寺.
Radical: ⺮ (bamboo), shared by 149 characters on this site.
How to remember 等
Picture bamboo strips ⺮ (official records) laid out in order before a court 寺. Sorting them into ranks takes time, so you have to wait, and strips of the same rank are equal.
等 (děng) is most often a verb meaning to wait, as in 等一下 (děng yíxià) wait a moment. It also ends a list like "etc." and forms words about rank or equality such as 等级 (děngjí) and 平等 (píngděng). Example: 我在门口等你。(Wǒ zài ménkǒu děng nǐ.) I'll wait for you at the door.
Common mistake: Learners often confuse 等 with 寺 (sì, temple) or 待 (dài, to wait). 等 has the bamboo top ⺮, while 待 has the walking radical 彳 on the left. Also, do not add 为 after 等: say 等你 (děng nǐ), not 等为你.
Common words with 等
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 等到 | děngdào | to wait until; by the time when (sth is ready etc) | HSK 2 |
| 等于 | děngyú | to equal; to be tantamount to | HSK 2 |
| 平等 | píngděng | equal; equality | HSK 2 |
| 等待 | děngdài | to wait; to wait for | HSK 3 |
| 等候 | děnghòu | to wait; to wait for | HSK 5 |
| 等级 | děngjí | grade; rank | HSK 5 |
| 相等 | xiāngděng | equal; equally | HSK 5 |
| 中等 | zhōngděng | medium | HSK 6 |
| 高等 | gāoděng | high-level; higher (animals, education etc) | HSK 6 |
| 初等 | chūděng | elementary (i.e. easy) | HSK 6 |
| 同等 | tóngděng | equal to; having the same social class or status | HSK 7-9 |
| 等等 | děngděng | et cetera; and so on ... | |
| 等一等 | děngyīděng | wait a moment | |
| 等不及 | děngbùjí | can't wait |
等 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 等
How many strokes are in 等?
等 is written with 12 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 等 mean?
等 (děng) means to wait for; to await; by the time; when; till; and so on; etc.; et al.. A common word with it is 等到 (děngdào), meaning "to wait until; by the time when (sth is ready etc)".
How do you pronounce 等?
等 is pronounced děng, in the third tone (dipping).
What is the radical of 等?
The radical of 等 is ⺮, which carries the idea of "bamboo". Dictionaries list 等 under this radical.
Is 等 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 等 is part of the HSK 1 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard, and you are expected to write it by hand from HSK 1.
What is the difference between 等 and 等待?
等 is short and everyday, used constantly in speech. 等待 (děngdài) is more formal or written and usually goes with abstract things, like 等待机会 (děngdài jīhuì) to wait for an opportunity.
How is 等 used to mean "etc." in a list?
Put 等 after the listed items, for example 苹果、香蕉等 (píngguǒ, xiāngjiāo děng) apples, bananas, and so on. You can also say 等等 (děngděng) for a more open-ended "and so forth."