站住

• Pinyin: zhàn zhù
• Hanzi breakdown: 站 = 立 (stand) + 占 (phonetic); 住 = 亻(person) + 主 (master/stay), meaning 'to stay/reside'

Meaning

Stop!; To stand still; to halt. A command to stop moving, or to come to a standstill.

A verb-complement compound where 站 (to stand) combines with 住 (to hold firm). Most commonly used as a command meaning 'Stop!' or 'Halt!' Also means to stand firm or hold one's ground, both literally and figuratively. The negative potential form 站不住 means 'unable to stand steady.'

Examples

1. 站住！你不能进去。 Stop! You can't go in there.
2. 路太滑了，我都站不住。 The road is too slippery — I can barely stand.
3. 他喊了一声站住，那个人就停下来了。 He shouted 'Stop!' and the person stopped.

Usage Guide

Context: commands, everyday

Tone: authoritative

Do Say

• 站住，别跑！(Stop — don't run!)
• 风太大了，我快站不住了。(The wind is so strong I can barely stand.)

Don't Say

• 请站住一下。(Don't add 一下 to 站住 as a polite request to stop — it sounds odd. Use 请等一下 or 请停一下 instead.)

Origin & History

Compound of 站 (to stand) and 住 (to hold/stay firm), literally 'stand firm' or 'stand and hold position.'

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal