Translation guide
How to express that movement, progress, or activity stops completely in Japanese.
To say that vehicles, people, or physical movement has halted completely.
To say that work, negotiations, or a process has stopped making progress.
To describe a moment when everything feels frozen or paused.
Literally 'time stops', used for dramatic or emotional moments.
その瞬間、時が止まったように感じた。
At that moment, it felt like time came to a standstill.
止まる is the most general and can be used for physical and metaphorical stopping. 立ち往生 specifically means being stuck and unable to move, often due to external obstacles. 行き詰まる is for deadlocks in negotiations or creative blocks.
エレベーターが止まった。
The elevator stopped.
バスが雪で立ち往生した。
The bus got stuck in the snow.
研究が行き詰まっている。
The research has hit a dead end.
The car suddenly came to a standstill.
交通が完全に止まっている。
Traffic has come to a complete standstill.
To be stuck and unable to move, often used for vehicles in snow or traffic jams.
大雪で車が立ち往生した。
Cars came to a standstill due to heavy snow.
Loanword from English, used in casual or technical contexts.
機械が突然ストップした。
The machine suddenly came to a standstill.
To reach a deadlock or impasse; progress is blocked.
交渉が行き詰まっている。
Negotiations have come to a standstill.
To stagnate; used for economic activity, projects, or personal growth.
経済が停滞している。
The economy has come to a standstill.
Also used metaphorically for processes stopping.
工事が止まっている。
Construction has come to a standstill.