---
title: "Denghou Meaning: 等候 (děnghòu) Means “to wait”"
description: "等候 (děnghòu) means “to wait; to await”. Hear its tones, see what 等 and 候 each mean and a real sentence that uses it."
canonical: "https://mandarinthewild.com/meaning/denghou"
published: "2026-10-21"
updated: "2026-11-06"
author: "Mandarin The Wild"
---

[What does it mean in Chinese?](https://mandarinthewild.com/meaning)

# What does 等候 mean?

猫头鹰māotóuyīngowl

等候 děnghòu

## to wait; to await

## Its characters

1. 等 děng to wait
2. 候 hòu to wait

## In a sentence

请大家在门外耐心等候。 Everyone please wait patiently outside the door.

他轻轻走到祖师床前，跪下**等候**。

From [拜师学艺 · A Teacher Across the Sea](https://mandarinthewild.com/library/read/a-teacher-across-the-sea-journey-to-the-west-intermediate-chinese-2#library-word-1137-1139)

[More about 等候](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E7%AD%89%E5%80%99)

## More words with 等 or 候

- [等待 děngdài](https://mandarinthewild.com/meaning/dengdai)
- [等到 děngdào](https://mandarinthewild.com/meaning/dengdao)
- [等于 děngyú](https://mandarinthewild.com/meaning/dengyu)
- [高等 gāoděng](https://mandarinthewild.com/meaning/gaodeng)
- [候选人 hòuxuǎnrén](https://mandarinthewild.com/meaning/houxuanren)
- [平等 píngděng](https://mandarinthewild.com/meaning/pingdeng)
- [气候 qìhòu](https://mandarinthewild.com/meaning/qihou)
- [时候 shíhou](https://mandarinthewild.com/meaning/shihou)
- [同等 tóngděng](https://mandarinthewild.com/meaning/tongdeng)
- [问候 wènhòu](https://mandarinthewild.com/meaning/wenhou)

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[How it compares with The Chairman’s Bao](https://mandarinthewild.com/compare/the-chairmans-bao)