a two-character surname, originally the name of a Xianbei tribe during the Northern Wei dynasty

to wait for the Yellow River to run clear; used as a metaphor for waiting for something impossible to happen, or for a corrupt political situation to become clean

to wait for; to await; primarily used in literary or formal contexts

to wait for the decree of heaven; to submit to one's destiny; often used in formal or literary writing to describe a person who accepts their lot in life

to wait for the right moment or time; to bide one's time

to watch for a chance; to wait for the right moment

to sit with one's legs spread out while waiting for someone; to squat and wait in an impolite or disrespectful manner

to wipe one's eyes and wait; to look forward to something with eager anticipation

It takes too long to wait for something that is unlikely to happen; literally meaning it is hard to wait for the Yellow River to run clear. This idiom is based on the classical text [[左传|左傳|zuo3 zhuan4]], referring to the rare nature of the river clearing and the brevity of human life.