徘徊

Etymology

A reduplicative, ideophonic compound in Old Chinese.

Compare 婓婓 (OC *pʰɯl pʰɯl, “coming and going”), 回回 (OC *ɡuːl ɡuːl, “revolving; turning”).

Pronunciation

Verb

徘徊

1. to pace back and forth; to walk to and fro; to wander

   • 徐徘徊於山阿兮，飄風來之洶洶。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     徐徘徊于山阿兮，飘风来之汹汹。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: The Verses of Chu, 4^th century BCE – 2^nd century CE

     Xú páihuái yú shān'ē xī, piāofēng lái zhī xiōngxiōng. [Pinyin]

     Threading my way round the curves of the mountains,
     Till the whirlwind came with blusterous roaring.

   • 音樂博衍無終極兮，焉及逝以徘徊。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     音乐博衍无终极兮，焉及逝以徘徊。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: The Verses of Chu, 4^th century BCE – 2^nd century CE

     Yīnyuè bóyǎn wú zhōngjí xī, yān jí shì yǐ páihuái. [Pinyin]

     The music swelled and swelled into infinity,
     After that I left them and resumed my wandering.

   • 旦徘徊於長阪兮，夕仿偟而獨宿。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     旦徘徊于长阪兮，夕仿偟而独宿。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: The Verses of Chu, 4^th century BCE – 2^nd century CE

     Dàn páihuái yú chángbǎn xī, xī pánghuáng ér dúsù. [Pinyin]

     In the morning I wander on the long hill's bluff;
     In the evening I fearfully go to my lone rest.

2. (figuratively) to linger; to hover around; to be reluctant to leave

   • 徐風至而徘徊兮，疾風過之湯湯。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     徐风至而徘徊兮，疾风过之汤汤。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: The Verses of Chu, 4^th century BCE – 2^nd century CE

     Xúfēng zhì ér páihuái xī, jífēng guò zhī tāngtāng. [Pinyin]

     The soft wind blew in uncertain eddies;
     The wild wind passed with a rushing blast.

3. (figuratively) to hesitate; to dither; to waver
4. (figuratively) to oscillate; to fluctuate; to vary (between two values)

Pronunciation

• On’yomi
  • (Tokyo) はいかい [hàíkáí] (Heiban – [0])^[1]
  • IPA^(key): [ha̠ika̠i]

Noun

徘徊 (hiragana はいかい, rōmaji haikai)

1. prowling

Verb

徘徊する (hiragana はいかいする, rōmaji haikai suru)

1. to prowl, to wander, to loiter

References