Definition
To wait for someone or something to arrive or happen.
Example
友達を駅で三十分待った。
Show translation
I waited for my friend at the station for thirty minutes.
Etymology
From Old Japanese *matu*, a native Yamato verb. Appears in the *Man'yōshū* (8th century) and has remained unchanged in form and meaning for over 1,200 years — a testament to its deep utility in everyday life.
Cultural note
Waiting is a culturally loaded act in Japan. *Omatase shimashita* (お待たせしました, "Sorry to have kept you waiting") is a near-universal polite greeting when you arrive — at a restaurant table, after a meeting pause, or when answering a phone. Saying it even when the other person has barely waited is considered courteous. Conversely, making others wait (待たせる, *mataseru*) is seen as disrespectful, which is why punctuality is such a strong social norm.