🚪⏳🙏

How to Say ‘Please wait outside for a moment.’ in Traditional Chinese

請在外面稍等一下。

qǐng zài wài miàn shāo děng yī xià

[Qing dzeye wàimiàn shāo děng ee shya]

💬 Usage Tip: The place comes before the action, with 在 (zài): 在外面 + 等 means "wait outside". Swap the place to say other locations: 請在這裡稍等一下 "Please wait here a moment."

Phrase Breakdown

請在外面

qǐng zài wài miàn

please, outside

請 (please) + 在 (at) + 外面 (outside). It tells someone where to be.

Example

請在外面排隊。

Please line up outside.

Words in this phrase

請

qǐng

[Qing]

please

Used to politely ask for something.

Example

請給我一杯水。

Please give me a glass of water.

在

zài

[dzeye]

at; in; on

A location marker used after a verb to show where an action happens.

Example

他坐在吧台旁邊。

He's sitting by the bar counter.

外面

wài miàn

[wàimiàn]

outside

A place word meaning the area outside a room or building.

Example

他在外面等你。

He is waiting for you outside.

稍等一下。

shāo děng yī xià

wait a moment

稍 (slightly) + 等 (wait) + 一下 (a little while). This is a polite way to say 'just a moment'.

Example

請稍等一下。

Please wait a moment.

Words in this phrase

稍

shāo

[shāo]

slightly; a little

Used to indicate a small degree or amount.

Example

請稍等，我們的豆奶快好了。

Please wait a little, our soy milk will be ready soon.

等

děng

[děng]

to wait

To stay in one place until a certain time or event.

Example

我在等車。

I am waiting for the bus.

一下

yī xià

[ee shya]

a bit; for a moment

A softening phrase that makes a request sound more polite and casual.

Example

麻煩你等一下，我想看一下地圖。

Please wait a moment; I want to look at the map.

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