Meaning and Usage
The verb 呼び止める (よびとめる) means "to call out to someone to stop them" or "to flag someone down." It is often used when you want to get the attention of a person who is walking or moving away, to make them stop or listen.
Common Contexts
You will hear 呼び止める in everyday situations such as a shop clerk calling a customer, a friend stopping someone who is leaving, or authorities halting a passerby. It carries a nuance of interrupting someone's movement politely or urgently.
Collocations and Patterns
- 呼び止める + 人 (e.g., 友達を呼び止める): to stop a friend
- 警察に呼び止められる: to be stopped by the police
- 通り過ぎようとしたところを呼び止める: to call someone just as they are about to pass by
Register and Politeness
呼び止める is neutral and can be used in both casual and formal contexts depending on the surrounding language. It is not overly formal but polite enough for everyday conversation.
Common Mistakes
Learners sometimes confuse 呼び止める with 呼ぶ (to call) alone. 呼び止める specifically implies stopping someone’s movement, not just calling their name. Remember the 止める (to stop) part is essential to the meaning.