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停 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
停tíngto stopHSK 4, v, 11 strokes, radical 亻, rank #380, Medium
停tíngto haltHSK 4, v, 11 strokes, radical 亻, rank #380, Medium
停tíngto park (a car)HSK 4, v, 11 strokes, radical 亻, rank #380, Medium
停tíngto suspend, to halt, to delay; suitableHSK 4, v, 11 strokes, radical 亻, rank #380, Medium
tíng(ting2) T2
  1. 1to stop
  2. 2to halt
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March 24, 2026
停tíng(ting2)

The character 停 (tíng) means 'to stop' or 'to halt.' It is commonly used in contexts such as stopping a vehicle, pausing an activity, or suspending an event. It conveys a clear action of cessation and can also imply a suitable or appropriate situation.

Strokes11Radical亻Frequency#380DifficultyMedium
Cultural Note

In daily Chinese life, understanding when to 停 (stop) is crucial, especially in bustling cities with heavy traffic. The concept of stopping at traffic lights or pedestrian crossings is taken seriously, reflecting an emphasis on order and safety.

Memory Tip

Imagine a 'Ting' sound that you hear when a vehicle comes to a complete stop. The character 停 features the radical 偏旁 '亻' (person) on the left, suggesting a person stopping or pausing in their activities. Picture someone named 'Ting' who always knows when to halt at the right moment.

Meanings of 停

tíng(ting2)
1to stop
2to halt
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 停

停Simplified
11Strokes
亻Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#380Frequency Rank
HSK 2.0L4HSK 3.0L4ElementaryTOCFLL2HSKKL1CEFRA1

Podcast: 停

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Podcast: 停

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AI Study Notes for 停

Quick Contrast

停 (tíng) vs 休 (xiū) — use 停 when indicating a complete stop, while 休 suggests a break or rest without necessarily stopping entirely.

Memory Mnemonic

Imagine a 'Ting' sound that you hear when a vehicle comes to a complete stop. The character 停 features the radical 偏旁 '亻' (person) on the left, suggesting a person stopping or pausing in their activities. Picture someone named 'Ting' who always knows when to halt at the right moment.

Usage Notes

Be mindful of using 停 in both formal and informal contexts; it is versatile but may sound abrupt in sensitive situations. Common collocations include 停车 (tíng chē - to park a car) and 停止 (tíng zhǐ - to cease). Avoid confusing it with 停留 (tíng liú - to stay) which carries a different nuance.

HSK Study Tips

As an HSK Level 4 word, 停 connects well with other action verbs like 走 (zǒu - to walk) and 跑 (pǎo - to run). Focus on practicing its usage in different contexts, especially in transportation and daily activities.

Cultural Note

In daily Chinese life, understanding when to 停 (stop) is crucial, especially in bustling cities with heavy traffic. The concept of stopping at traffic lights or pedestrian crossings is taken seriously, reflecting an emphasis on order and safety.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 停 with 停留 (tíng liú), which means 'to stay' rather than 'to stop.' For example, saying '我停留在这里' (wǒ tíng liú zài zhè lǐ) incorrectly suggests 'I stop here,' instead of using 停 appropriately.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 停

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Etymology of 停

Formation Typepictophonetic
六书 ClassificationPhono-semantic (形声字)~80-90% of characters
Explanation

Phonosemantic compound. 亻 represents the meaning and 亭 represents the sound.

Memory Hint

person

Semantic (meaning)亻
+
Phonetic (sound)亭
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 停?

Decomposition of 停

IDS Structure⿰亻亭
停Full Character
=
亻ren2
left
亭ting2
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 停?

Write 停

停

Practice writing 停 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

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Grammar Patterns of 停

停 functions as a verb — the action or state of the sentence. The Chinese order is Subject + Verb + Object (我吃饭). Negate it with 不 (habitual / future) or 没(有) (completed action). Add aspect markers like 了, 过, 着 directly after the verb. It carries 4 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The patterns below break down its most common sentence frames, with example sentences and practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) for each one.

Related grammar lessons6
是…的 emphasis是 + [V] + 的
HSK 3

This pattern emphasizes the action of stopping, often used to provide specific context.

他是停在这里的。

Tā shì tíng zài zhèlǐ de.

He stopped here.

Exercise 1 of 4

Complete the Sentence

这里不能____车。

You can't park here.

Usage Notes for 停

Park vs. StopCommon Error

Learners often confuse '停' with just stopping, but it can also mean to park a vehicle.

1

我停了我的车。

I parked my car.

Exercise 1 of 1

Fill in the Blank

我____了我的车。

I parked my car.

Example Sentences for 停 (10)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
“我要走，离开他。”劳拉·斯特宾停了下来，眼里闪烁着光芒。

“ “ wǒ yào， zǒu ， lí。” kāi tā· 。” láo lā · sī tè bīn， tíng le xià lái ， yǎn lǐ。

"I shall go, leave him." Laura Stebbing stopped, her eyes glistening.
2
我停住脚步，等她追上来。

wǒ tíng zhù jiǎo bù， ， děng tā zhuī shàng。

I stopped and waited for her to catch up.
3
我认为你应该暂时停止踢足球。

wǒ rèn wéi nǐ yīng gāi zàn shí tíng zhǐ tī zú qiú。

I think you ought to give football a rest for a time.
4
如果你一直在服用这些药，停药时一定要逐渐停。

rú guǒ nǐ yī zhí zài fú yòng zhè xiē yào， ， tíng yào shí yī dìng yào zhú jiàn。

If you take these drugs continuously, withdrawal must be tapered.
5
你应该考虑将旅程分为几段，中途在机场旅馆稍作停留。

nǐ yīng gāi kǎo lǜ jiāng lǚ chéng fēn wéi jī duàn， ， zhōng tú zài jī cháng lǚ guǎn shāo zuò tíng。

You should consider breaking the journey with intermediate stopovers at airport hotels.
6
你得把车子和旁边的车停齐。

nǐ dé bǎ chē zǐ hé páng biān de chē tíng qí。

You have to line the car up with the ones beside you.
7
他的目的是使空间站项目全面停止。

tā de mù de shì shǐ kōng jiān zhàn xiàng mù quán miàn tíng zhǐ。

His objective was to kill the space station project altogether.
8
戴维斯先生的这番话值得大家停下来思考一下。

dài wéi sī xiān shēng de zhè fān huà zhí dé dà jiā tíng xià lái sī kǎo yī xià。

It is worth pausing to consider these statements from Mr Davies.
9
一辆警车停在这幢房子前面。

yī liàng jǐng chē tíng zài zhè chuáng fáng zǐ qián miàn。

A police car was parked in front of the house.
10
这条路增加了停车区后宽度缩减到了18英尺。

zhè tiáo lù zēng jiā le tíng chē qū hòu kuān dù suō jiǎn dào le18 18 yīng。

The road was reduced to 18ft in width by adding parking bays.

Cultural Notes for 停

💡Did you know?

In Chinese cities, parking can be a challenge due to limited space. The character '停' not only means to stop but also reflects the importance of parking etiquette in urban life.

🏮Cultural insight

In daily Chinese life, understanding when to 停 (stop) is crucial, especially in bustling cities with heavy traffic. The concept of stopping at traffic lights or pedestrian crossings is taken seriously, reflecting an emphasis on order and safety.

📜Proverb

A common proverb is '停下来，想一想', which means 'Stop and think'. This emphasizes the value of reflection in decision-making.

Word Family of 停

Words Containing This Character20
停tíngto stop
停止tíngzhǐto stop
停车tíngchēto park停車
不停bùtíngincessant
停下tíngxiàto stop
暂停zàntíngto suspend暫停
停车场tíngchēchǎngparking lot停車場
停留tíngliúto stop over
停电tíngdiànpower cut停電
停产to stop production停產
停下来to stop停下來
停火to cease fire
停靠to call at
停顿tíngdùnto halt停頓
停放tíngfàngto park (a car etc)
停战armistice停戰
停机to shut down停機
停职to suspend (sb) from duties停職
停滞tíngzhìstagnation停滯
停业tíngyèto close down停業
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 停 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 停

While 停 (tíng) means 'to stop' or 'to park,' 休息 (xiū xī) specifically means 'to rest' or 'to take a break.' Use 停 when referring to stopping movement or action and 休息 when you want to convey resting or relaxing.