to stop, to halt

JLPT N1 4 strokes

Words with this Kanji

Usage of

The character primarily means "to stop" or "to halt." It is often used in both literal and figurative contexts, such as stopping movement, stopping an action, or ceasing a condition like pain or rain.

Common Collocations

  • 止步 (zhǐbù): to stop walking or to halt one's steps, often used to command or request someone to stop moving forward.
  • (zhǐ tòng yào): painkiller, literally "stop pain medicine."
  • (zhǐ xiě): to stop bleeding.

Notes on Usage

can be used as a verb meaning "to stop" or "to cease." It often appears in compound words and formal contexts. When used alone, it can be a command or a descriptive verb.

Be careful not to confuse with (tíng), which also means "to stop" but is more commonly used for vehicles or machines stopping, while is more general and can be used for abstract stopping like stopping pain or stopping rain.

Register and Tone

is neutral in tone and can be used in both spoken and written Chinese, though it appears more frequently in written or formal contexts.

Example Sentences

Please stop walking, don't go any further.

The doctor advised him not to exceed the prescribed dosage of painkillers.

The rain finally stopped, we can go out now.