待つ・俟つ|まつmatsu[1]atamadaka (head-high)
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Which spelling to use
待つ待つ is the most common form, written with kanji and kana, and is the form beginners should use.
俟つ俟つ is rarely used and is written with kanji and kana; learners will seldom need to choose it instead of 待つ.
Definitions
- godan verb, transitive verb, intransitive verbto wait
- godan verb, transitive verb, intransitive verbto await; to look forward to; to anticipate
- godan verb, transitive verb, intransitive verbto depend on; to needusu. in negative form
Conjugation
| Dictionary form | 待つ（まつ） |
|---|---|
| Polite (masu) | 待ちます（まちます） |
| Negative (nai) | 待たない（またない） |
| polite (masen) | 待ちません（まちません） |
| classical zu / nu | 待たず・待たぬ（またず・またぬ） |
| Past (ta) | 待った（まった） |
| polite (mashita) | 待ちました（まちました） |
| Past negative (nakatta) | 待たなかった（またなかった） |
| polite (masen deshita) | 待ちませんでした（まちませんでした） |
| Te form | 待って（まって） |
| Potential | 待てる（まてる） |
| Passive | 待たれる（またれる） |
| Causative | 待たせる（またせる） |
| Causative passive | 待たせられる・待たされる（またせられる・またされる） |
| Conditional (ba) | 待てば（まてば） |
| tara | 待ったら（まったら） |
| Volitional | 待とう（まとう） |
| polite (mashou) | 待ちましょう（まちましょう） |
| Imperative | 待て（まて） |
Common forms generated by rule; see the senses for honorific or irregular usage.
Synonyms & antonyms
- Synonym待ち受けるまちうけるNeutralNeutral: to wait prepared for someone or something to arrive; often said of difficulties or fate lying ahead. 「待つ」 is broader.
- Related待機たいきWrittenWritten/formal: a noun for standing by ready to act on orders, e.g. 「家で待機する」. 「待つ」 is the everyday word for waiting in general.
- Related保留ほりゅうNeutralNeutral: to hold off on a decision and shelve something for now. It only overlaps with 「待つ」 in the sense of postponing — waiting before deciding.
- Related控えるひかえるNeutralNeutral: close to 「待つ」 only when waiting nearby for your turn, e.g. in the greenroom; its main senses are restraint and noting things down.
- Antonym諦めるあきらめるNeutralAntonym: to give up hope and stop waiting. It stands opposite to 「待つ」, which is waiting with expectation.
「待つ」 is the default for waiting in general. Use 「待機」 (formal) for standing by ready to act, 「保留」 for holding off a decision, 「待ち受ける」 for what lies ahead, and 「控える」 for waiting on standby nearby. 「諦める」 is the opposite: giving up hope.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese definitions
Kanji in this word
English equivalents
See also
