How to Write 等 (děng) — Meaning “To wait; etc.; equal”

Imagine a bamboo temple (bamboo radical above, 寺 below) where people are waiting patiently in line. The bamboo roof and temple setting help you recall that 等 means 'to wait' or 'etc.' (as in a list).

The top part (⺮) is written with two short left-falling strokes (丿) and two dots, not as the full bamboo character. The bottom part 寺 has a horizontal stroke (一) that should be long and balanced, with the vertical stroke (丨) aligned with the center. Avoid making the top too wide or the bottom too narrow; the overall shape is roughly square.

等 has the bamboo radical on top and 寺 below, meaning 'wait' or 'etc.' 笑 (xiào, to smile) also has bamboo on top but below is 夭 (yāo), which suggests a person smiling. 笔 (bǐ, pen) has bamboo on top and 毛 (máo, hair) below, referring to a writing brush. The key difference lies in the bottom component: 寺, 夭, and 毛 each give distinct meanings.

等 is very common in daily conversation, especially as 等一下 (wait a moment) and 等等 (etc.). In Chinese culture, waiting is often seen as a virtue, and using 等 politely, like '请等一下' (please wait a moment), shows respect. It is also used in formal writing for 'etc.' when listing items.

Common words containing 等 include: 等一下 (děng yí xià) — Wait a moment; 等等 (děng děng) — Etc.; wait a moment; 等待 (děng dài) — To wait for; to await.