Bear with me
BAIR with mee /beə/
Neutral Polite
What it really means
Means "please wait a moment while I sort this out". Very common on the phone and at counters. It asks for your patience — nothing to do with the animal.
Chinese explanation
意思是"请稍等，我正在处理"。电话里和柜台前非常常用。是请你耐心等等，跟"熊"没有关系。
Example conversation
A: Bear with me — the system's being slow today.
B: No rush, take your time.
A：请稍等——系统今天有点慢。
B：不急，您慢慢来。
All Politeness Decoder
Reviewed by the UK Decoded editorial team
· Last checked 24 July 2026 · Report a mistake