"mark time" in Chinese (Simplified)

• 原地踏步
• 等待时无所作为

Definition

在没有取得进展或无所事事的情况下等待，尤其是在期待某事发生时。

Usage Notes (Chinese (Simplified))

多为口语或中性表达，可用于形容等待时无所作为。既能指军队的原地踏步，也可引申为拖延不进展。

Examples

We just had to mark time until the meeting started.

我们只能**原地踏步**，直到会议开始。

The soldiers had to mark time during the ceremony.

士兵们在仪式中不得不**原地踏步**。

She felt like she was just marking time in her job.

她觉得自己工作时只是**原地踏步**。

We're just marking time until the next project comes along.

我们现在只是**原地踏步**，等下一个项目开始。

He felt like he was marking time until graduation.

他觉得自己只是**原地踏步**，等着毕业。

If we keep marking time, we'll never finish this project.

如果我们一直**原地踏步**，这个项目永远做不完。