Using 等等 in the beginning of a sentence

[lost_kin]

Can 等等 be used to mean “after a while," not as a "wait a minute” exclamation nor as "etc."?

 

I recently came across this Chinese vlog. Around 0:51, she says her breakfast is banana chocolate cake, then says "等等吃完早餐会换个衣服化个妆[...]" I know that 等等 is usually used to mean "wait a minute" or after a series of items to mean "etc." (allset learning), but this was in the beginning, and there was no series of items. It seems to mean "after a while" more than "wait a minute," but are those two things close enough that Chinese expresses them both as 等等?

[Jim]

It's effectively very similar but technically it's saying that the change of clothes and make-up will happen after she's had breakfast, so more like "Let me have my breakfast first then I'll get changed and stick some slap on." Possibly best not to understand it as 'after a while' as really it's more about a sequence.

[cncorrect]

Yes, '等等' means 'after a while'. "等等吃完早餐会换个衣服化个妆" can be translated to 'After a while, After I have had my breakfast, I'll get changed and ...'. It's a native expression. I encourage you to use it in your own language and impress a native Chinese speaker next time. For example, '等等我就来'.

 

@Jim

On 12/22/2023 at 8:17 AM, Jim said:

stick some slap on

Does this phrase mean '化个妆'? Is it a native English expression? I can't find it in a dictionary.

[Jim]

It does, "slap" is slang for make-up. Here's an example of it being used in a headline: https://metro.co.uk/2021/12/08/slap-and-dash-makeup-for-when-youre-in-a-hurry-15723011/

[Moshen]

Quote

stick some slap on

 

Must be a British expression.  It makes no sense in American English.

[becky82]

On 12/22/2023 at 10:16 PM, Moshen said:

Must be a British expression.  It makes no sense in American English.

 

I remember encountering it repeatedly on Ladette to Lady (a reality TV show about a finishing school).  I don't think "slap" meaning "crudely applied makeup" is used in Australia either.