马上
mǎshàng
The word that literally means 'on horseback'
The picture One foot already out the door while the body is still turning to follow it. 马上 is the foot already out; 等一会儿 is sitting back down for a while.
Where the picture shows up in 马上
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the foot goes out at a call
请等一下，我马上来。
qǐng děng yí xià, wǒ mǎ shàng lái
Please wait a moment, I am coming right away.
An apron half untied, the body turning and one foot already aimed at the door
The most common reply there is when attending to a customer.
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at the meeting room door
会议马上开始，请进。
huì yì mǎ shàng kāi shǐ, qǐng jìn
The meeting is starting right away, please come in.
One hand holding the meeting room door open while the other waves you inside
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the foot out of a kitchen
菜马上就好，您先喝茶。
cài mǎ shàng jiù hǎo, nín xiān hē chá
Your food is coming right up, have some tea first.
A hand with a plate on it already halfway through the kitchen doorway
Adding 就 as 马上就 presses the gap even tighter.
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toward a door about to shut
药店马上关门了，快去吧。
yào diàn mǎ shàng guān mén le, kuài qù ba
The pharmacy is closing any minute, hurry up.
Someone running toward a shop whose shutter is already half down
With 了 it shows a state about to arrive.
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the foot toward a phone
我马上给您打电话。
wǒ mǎ shàng gěi nín dǎ diàn huà
I will call you right away.
The handset already lifted and a finger resting on the keypad
All of it in one picture
马上 is a foot already out the door. Let it go out at someone's call and it is the answer that you are on your way; let it go out at a meeting room door and it is the word that things are starting. Out of a kitchen it becomes food about to land; toward a pharmacy it becomes hurry before it shuts; toward a phone it becomes a promise to call. The characters say 'on horseback' — the body has already set off.