What does 待 mean in Japanese?
待 means “wait.” You will often see it in 待つ (matsu), “to wait for someone or something.”
In shops, you may hear 少々お待ちください (“Please wait a moment”). With friends, 待ち合わせ means meeting at an agreed time and place.
Reading
On’yomi: タイ (tai)
Kun’yomi: ま-つ (ma-tsu)
Basic Information
| Kanji | 待 |
|---|---|
| Meaning | wait, expect |
| Stroke Count | 9 |
| JLPT Level | N4 |
How to Understand This Kanji
待つ is a neutral, everyday verb. The person or thing you wait for takes the particle を, as in バスを待つ (to wait for the bus). In polite service language it often appears as お待ちください (please wait) or お待たせしました (sorry to keep you waiting). In compounds read タイ, the idea of waiting extends to expecting something (期待) or inviting guests (招待).
Common Words
- 待つ（まつ / matsu） — to wait
- 待ち合わせ（まちあわせ / machiawase） — meeting up at an arranged time and place
- 待ち時間（まちじかん / machijikan） — waiting time
- 待合室（まちあいしつ / machiaishitsu） — waiting room
- 期待（きたい / kitai） — expectation, hope
- 招待（しょうたい / shoutai） — invitation
Example Sentences
-
駅の前で友だちを待っています。
えきのまえでともだちをまっています。 / Eki no mae de tomodachi o matte imasu.
I am waiting for my friend in front of the station.
-
すみません、少々お待ちください。
すみません、しょうしょうおまちください。 / Sumimasen, shoushou omachi kudasai.
Excuse me, please wait a moment.
-
友だちを家に招待しました。
ともだちをいえにしょうたいしました。 / Tomodachi o ie ni shoutai shimashita.
I invited my friends to my house.
When Learners Usually See This Kanji
待つ is a godan verb: 待ちます, 待たない, 待って. Remember to use を for what you wait for, not に. Do not confuse 待 with 持 (hold); both have 寺 on the right, but 待 has the radical 彳 on the left and 持 has the hand radical 扌. 彳 is often called ぎょうにんべん because it looks like the left half of 行 (go).
Summary
Learn 待つ (matsu) with its forms 待ちます and 待って, use を for what you wait for, and read 待 as タイ in 期待 and 招待.
Want to study more JLPT N4 kanji by theme? See our JLPT N4 Kanji Study List.