Translation guide
The English phrase 'wait and see' expresses a patient, observational approach to an uncertain situation. In Japanese, this concept is conveyed through various expressions that emphasize watching, observing, or leaving things to time, with nuances ranging from casual to formal.
To express that one will watch how things develop before making a decision or taking action.
A common, neutral phrase meaning 'to observe the situation' or 'to see how things go'. It implies waiting for more information before acting.
Let's wait and see a little longer.
I'll decide after seeing his reaction.
Literally 'to watch over the course of events'. It conveys a sense of patiently observing how things unfold, often used in more formal or serious contexts.
We have no choice but to wait and see how the situation develops.
A formal, somewhat literary term meaning 'to watch quietly' or 'to observe without intervening'. Often used in political or business contexts.
The government is taking a wait-and-see approach.
To express that one will not force a resolution and instead let time reveal the outcome.
Literally 'time will solve it'. A natural way to say that you'll wait for time to take care of things.
There's nothing we can do now. We just have to wait and see if time heals things.
A casual, resigned expression meaning 'things will work out as they will' or 'whatever will be, will be'. It implies a wait-and-see attitude with a sense of acceptance.
There's no point worrying. We'll just have to wait and see.
A literary expression meaning 'to leave one's fate to heaven'. It conveys a wait-and-see attitude with a sense of trusting in destiny.
Now we can only wait and see what fate has in store.
To express that one will postpone making a choice or forming an opinion until more is known.
A straightforward phrase meaning 'to reserve judgment'. It clearly states that a decision will be made later after observation.
I'll reserve judgment for now and wait and see a bit longer.
Literally 'not to rush to a conclusion'. It implies a wait-and-see approach by avoiding hasty decisions.
To express that a patient's condition will be monitored over time before further action.
A medical term meaning 'follow-up observation' or 'watchful waiting'. It is used when a doctor decides to monitor a condition without immediate treatment.
For now, it's fine to just wait and see (monitor the progress).
Also used in medical contexts to mean 'to monitor' or 'to observe' a patient's condition.
様子を見る is a neutral, everyday expression for 'wait and see'. 静観する is more formal and implies deliberately not intervening, often used in news or business contexts.
He always waits and sees before acting.
The government is taking a wait-and-see stance on market movements.
The direct translation '待って見る' (matte miru) is not natural Japanese for 'wait and see'. Use the phrases provided instead.
We'll just have to wait and see.
Let's wait and see what happens.
I'm going to wait and see how things go.
Let's not jump to conclusions; let's wait and see for a while.
If the fever doesn't go down, come back. For now, just wait and see.