停

• Pinyin: tíng
• Hanzi breakdown: 停 = 亻(person) + 亭 (pavilion, phonetic) — to stop, as if a person pauses at a pavilion

Meaning

To stop; to halt; to cease moving or doing something.

Used for both physical stopping (vehicles, people) and abstract stopping (rain, activities). Can also mean to park (停车) or to stay temporarily. Very common in traffic, transportation, and daily life contexts. Often used with resultative complements.

Examples

1. 车停在路边了。 The car is parked by the roadside.
2. 雨停了，我们出去吧。 The rain has stopped, let's go out.
3. 请停一下，等等我。 Please stop for a moment, wait for me.

Usage Guide

Context: traffic, transportation, everyday

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 公交车停了，快下车。(The bus has stopped, get off quickly.)
• 风停了，天晴了。(The wind has stopped and the sky is clear.)

Don't Say

• 请停你的工作永远 (Don't use 停 for permanent cessation — it implies a temporary halt; for quitting permanently, use 辞职 or 放弃)

Origin & History

亻(person radical) + 亭 (tíng, pavilion, phonetic). Like a person pausing to rest at a pavilion along the road.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal