停顿

• Pinyin: tíng dùn
• Hanzi breakdown: 停 = 亻+ 亭 — to stop; 顿 = 屯 + 页 — to pause

Meaning

To pause; to halt temporarily; a pause.

A temporary stop or hesitation in speech, action, or progress. Used for both brief pauses (in speech) and longer interruptions (in work or processes).

Examples

1. 他讲话时停顿了一下，似乎在组织语言。 He paused while speaking, as if organizing his thoughts.
2. 项目进度因为资金问题停顿了两个月。 The project progress was halted for two months due to funding issues.
3. 朗诵时要注意在标点符号处适当停顿。 When reciting, pay attention to pausing appropriately at punctuation marks.

Usage Guide

Context: speech, work, progress

Tone: descriptive

Do Say

• 停顿一下。(Pause for a moment.)
• 项目停顿了。(The project has stalled.)

Don't Say

• 用'停顿'描述完全结束 (停顿 implies temporary — for permanent stops, use 停止 or 终止)

Origin & History

停 means to stop, 顿 means to pause or halt — to stop and pause.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal