ting4 zi2停止
Jyutpingting4 zi2
Yaletìhng jí
Definition
To stop, cease, halt, or temporarily suspend an action or operation.
neutraldaily actions
How it's used
While this term is understood in spoken Cantonese, it often sounds formal or written. In casual daily conversation, people are much more likely to use 停 or 唔好再做 to convey the same meaning. Using 停止 in a relaxed setting can make you sound like you are reading from a news report or an official notice.
Examples
The government decided to stop this project.
Can you stop talking?
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often use this as a direct translation for stop in all contexts, but it is too stiff for simple commands like stop the car, where 停 or 停車 is preferred. It is best reserved for abstract concepts, official actions, or formal processes.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- Directional complementsThe small words added after a verb to show direction of movement, like up, down, out, in, and back. Common in everyday Cantonese.
- DemonstrativesThis and that with 呢 and 嗰, the personal pronouns, and how 哋 turns I, you, and he into we, you all, and they.
- Resultative complementsSticking a result word onto a verb to show how it turned out, like eat until full or look and find. A productive everyday pattern.
