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待つ
matsu
wait
電車を待つ。
Wait for the train.
formal
To stay in a place or remain inactive until someone or something arrives or a particular time.
友達を駅で待っている。
I am waiting for my friend at the station.
結果を待つしかない。
There's nothing to do but wait for the results.
Used for both physical waiting (e.g., trains, people) and abstract waiting (e.g., results, decisions).
Related Phrases
Pro Tip
Particle Usage
待つ requires the particle を to mark what you're waiting for (e.g., バスを待つ 'wait for the bus'). Omitting を makes the sentence ungrammatical.
Gold Rule
Conjugation for Tense
待つ conjugates like a regular godan verb: 待ちます (polite present), 待った (past), 待って (te-form), etc. The te-form 待って is often used in commands or requests (e.g., ちょっと待って 'wait a moment').
Word Origin
From Old Japanese verb *matu*, related to Proto-Japonic *matu. Cognate with Korean '기다리다' (kidarida) and possibly Old Chinese '待' (dài), but the Japanese form is native.
Usage Notes
待つ is transitive and often followed by を (wo) to mark the object being waited for. It can also be used in compound verbs like 待ち合わせる (to meet up) or 待ち望む (to eagerly await).
Word Breakdown
待
to wait
rootつ
verb ending
suffix和英辞典