godan verb (-tsu), transitive verb, intransitive verb
The basic everyday use: spend time until someone arrives, something happens, or one is allowed to act. Can be intransitive, as in ここで待つ, or transitive, as in バスを待つ.
ここで五分待ってください。
Please wait here for five minutes.
駅前で友達を待っている
I am waiting for a friend in front of the station.
godan verb (-tsu), transitive verb, intransitive verb
await; look forward to; anticipate
Used when the object is an expected or hoped-for future event, result, reply, release, season, and so on. 楽しみに待つ emphasizes looking forward to something; 待たれる often means that something is eagerly awaited or anticipated.
新作の発売を楽しみに待っている。
I am looking forward to the release of the new work.
今後の調査結果が待たれる。
The results of the upcoming investigation are awaited with interest.
godan verb (-tsu), transitive verb, intransitive verb
Formal and often fixed-expression use, especially in the negative: 説明を待たない or 論を俟たない means that something needs no explanation or argument. The non-negative pattern 〜に俟つところが大きい means that something depends greatly on a future factor.
その必要性は論を俟たない。
Its necessity needs no argument.
詳細の解明は今後の研究に俟つところが大きい。
Clarifying the details depends greatly on future research.