停下

• Pinyin: tíng xia
• Hanzi breakdown: 停 = 亻(person) + 亭 (pavilion, phonetic); 下 = pictograph of a downward direction marker

Meaning

To stop; to come to a halt; to cease an action completely.

A resultative complement construction: 停 (stop) + 下 (completion marker indicating downward/cessation). Emphasises that the action has fully ceased, not merely paused. Often used as a command or to describe a completed stopping action.

Examples

1. 老师让同学们停下手中的工作，认真听她讲解。 The teacher asked the students to stop what they were doing and listen carefully to her explanation.
2. 汽车在路口停下，等待绿灯亮起。 The car stopped at the junction, waiting for the green light.
3. 听到有人喊他的名字，他立刻停下脚步回头看。 Hearing someone call his name, he immediately stopped in his tracks and looked back.

Usage Guide

Context: everyday, commands

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 请停下，我有话要说。(Please stop — I have something to say.)
• 音乐停下来之后，大家都鼓起掌来。(After the music stopped, everyone started clapping.)

Don't Say

• 不要把停下 与 停止 混用 — 停下 emphasises the physical act of halting, while 停止 is more formal and often refers to stopping an activity or process.

Origin & History

Compound of 停 (to stop, from 亻person + 亭 pavilion — a place to rest/halt) and 下 (down/complete), forming a resultative complement meaning to fully halt.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal