观望 guānwàng to wait and see
to wait and see; to watch from the sidelines; to look around; to survey
How to remember 观望: 观 observe + 望 gaze = to wait and see.
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How it is used
- To wait and see / hold back and watch how things develop - 持观望态度 (chí guānwàng tàidù) adopt a wait-and-see attitude.
- Implies hesitating to commit until the situation is clearer; common in markets and decisions.
- Contrast 旁观 (pángguān, to look on as a bystander): 观望 is strategic waiting, not mere onlooking.