How to Say “Just a moment” in Chinese
Time and dates · HSK 2
"Just a moment" in Chinese is 等一下 (děng yí xià). 等一下 is the everyday go-to, but the register really matters here. In a restaurant or shop, staff will say 请稍等; the 稍 softens it and it's what you'll hear on customer service calls and in banks.
Primary translation
等一下
děng yí xià
Variants by register
Formal
请稍等
qǐng shāo děng
Casual
等等
děng děng
When to use it
等一下 is the everyday go-to, but the register really matters here. In a restaurant or shop, staff will say 请稍等; the 稍 softens it and it's what you'll hear on customer service calls and in banks. Between friends, 等等 or 等我一下 (děng wǒ yí xià, wait for me a sec) is warmer. One tone tip: 一 in 等一下 changes from first tone to second tone (yí) because 下 is fourth tone; this 一 tone sandhi trips up learners constantly. Taiwanese speakers often say 等一下喔 (děng yí xià ō) with a sentence-final particle to sound gentler.
Example sentences
请稍等，马上就来。
Qǐng shāo děng, mǎ shàng jiù lái.
Just a moment please, I'll be right there.
等一下，我找一下手机。
Děng yí xià, wǒ zhǎo yí xià shǒu jī.
Hold on, let me find my phone.
等等，你刚才说什么？
Děng děng, nǐ gāng cái shuō shén me?
Wait, what did you just say?