止める

• Reading: とめる
• Romaji: tomeru
• Kanji breakdown: 止 (shi/to) — to stop, to halt, to cease
• Pronunciation: /to.me.ɾɯ/

Meaning

To stop; to turn off; to bring to a halt. Used for actively stopping machines, vehicles, or actions.

A Group 2 (ichidan) transitive verb conjugated by dropping る (止めて, 止めた, 止めます). The transitive counterpart of 止まる (to come to a stop). Common uses: 車を止める (stop the car), 水を止める (turn off the water), けんかを止める (stop a fight). Note: 辞める (also yameru) means 'to quit a job' — different kanji.

Examples

1. 車をここに止めてください。 Please park the car here.
2. シャワーの水を止めました。 I turned off the shower.
3. 危ないから走るのを止めて。 It's dangerous, so stop running.

Usage Guide

Context: daily life, driving, safety

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

Uses the same kanji 止 (stop) as 止まる. The める ending marks it as a transitive ichidan verb — the agent actively causes something to stop.

Cultural Context

Era: Ancient

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal