What does the song lyric 一等就是一年多 mean?

Question

This is from a song, I can´t figure out what it means:

一等就是一年多

Google translate says: "One year is more than a year", which I think is wrong. 等 is "wait", 就是 is "exactly" (I think), but I don't get what it means in it´s entirety, some help would be awesome.

Answer 1

(这)一等 = (this) one wait

就是 = thereupon became

一年多 = over a year (long )

meaning 'this wait has turned into an over a year long wait

or

(我)一等 = once (I) waited

就是 = thereupon became

一年多 = over a year

meaning 'once I wait, it has became more than a year' ('it' refers to the waiting time)

Same meaning as:

(我)一等就等了 = once (I) waited, (I) have waited for

一年多 = over a year

Answer 2

I googled it and found a forum on Baidu about waiting forever for what looks like a video game to be released. The unhappy camper in the forum writes a lyric verse or two to express his frustration:

你说过两天来看我
一等就是一年多
三百六十五个日子不好过
你心里根本没有我
把我的爱情还给我

Translation (not accounting for poetic style):

You said you'd come to visit in two days
But I've been waiting more than a year
...

In this context, it means he's already been waiting for more than a year. This also uses a sentence pattern 一（V）就（V）, which generally describes something which is done right after another thing, e.g. "我一到家就要睡了" (I'm going to bed as soon as I get home).

In this context, he is using that sentence pattern to stress how long he has waited.

Answer 3

This song, 你怎麼說, is one of the late, 鄧麗君, Teresa Teng's famous song, sung at Chinese karaoke lounges practically all over the Chinese diaspora World, because the lyrics are simple, (well, at least to Chinese speakers), with a smooth catchy tune.

The complete song followed by my literal, amateurish translation attempt, hence the stilted English. I am sure others would translate it slightly differently, but what the heck......

我没忘记你忘记我
I've not forgotten you, you've forgotten me,
连名字你都说错
Even my name you said it wrong;
证明你一切都是在骗我
That proves all along you lied me,
看今天你怎么说
Let's see what you say today.

[Chorus]

你说过两天来看我
You said you would visit me after two days,
一等就是一年多
I've since waited for more than a year;
三百六十五个日子不好过
Three Hundred Sixty-Five days are not good to pass,
你心里根本没有我
Your heart really don't have me,
把我的爱情还给我
Pay back my love to me.

If you want to hear the song with pinyin lyrics -- https://youtu.be/tBOk7nPrxBE