Japanese symbol for “waiting”
待ち
まち
Romaji: machi
waiting; waiting time
In Japanese, waiting is 待ち, read まち (machi).
Before using these characters for a tattoo, check them with a native speaker. Dictionary words often have several meanings, and the right choice depends on context.
Meanings
- n, n-suf waiting; waiting time
- n, n-suf wait tile; tile which would complete one's hand (mahj)
Kanji and stroke order
Other Japanese words for “waiting”
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 待ち受け | まちうけ machiuke | waiting (for); expecting |
| ウェイティング | ウェイティング weitingu | waiting; holding back; refraining |
Related words
Words that share a kanji.
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 期待 | きたい kitai | expectation; anticipation; hope |
| 招待 | しょうたい shoutai | invitation |
| 待機 | たいき taiki | standing by; awaiting an opportunity; being on alert |
| 待つ | まつ matsu | to wait |
| 待遇 | たいぐう taiguu | treatment; reception; service |
| 接待 | せったい settai | entertainment (of guests; esp. in the corporate world); treating (to food and drinks); wining and dining |
Data: JMdict (CC BY-SA 4.0); KANJIDIC2 (CC BY-SA 4.0); KanjiVG (CC BY-SA 3.0); wordfreq (CC BY-SA 4.0 (data)). Retrieved 2026-10-22.