止 (zhǐ): to stop; to cease

Meanings

1 to stop; to cease
2 to prohibit; to prevent

Characters

止

zhǐ

to stop; to halt

Examples

HSK 2

请停止说话。

Qǐng tíngzhǐ shuōhuà.

Please stop talking.

HSK 4

这里禁止吸烟。

Zhèlǐ jìnzhǐ xīyān.

Smoking is prohibited here.

HSK 5

双方的冲突并没有因此停止。

Shuāngfāng de chōngtū bìng méiyǒu yīncǐ tíngzhǐ.

The conflict between the two sides did not stop because of this.

Tips

usage

止 is found in 停止 (tíngzhǐ, to stop), 禁止 (jìnzhǐ, to prohibit), 防止 (fángzhǐ, to prevent), 不止 (bùzhǐ, more than), and 止痛 (zhǐtòng, painkiller).

Components

pictograph

止 zhǐ

to stop; foot

Pictograph of a human foot with toes - the original meaning was simply 'foot' (the planted, unmoving foot). From a foot stationary on the ground came the abstract sense 'to stop, halt, prevent.' 止 is its own Kangxi radical (#77) and shows up as a meaning-component inside 步, 走, 武, 正 - all motion-related characters. One of the oldest oracle-bone graphs in continuous use.