Translation guide
The English word 'halt' can mean to stop moving, to stop an activity, or to cause something to stop. Japanese uses different words depending on what is stopping and the context.
To come to a stop from motion; to cease moving.
General intransitive verb for something stopping or coming to a halt. Used for people, vehicles, machines, etc.
車が急に止まった。
The car suddenly halted.
時計が止まっている。
The clock has stopped.
Formal or technical term for halting, often used for machines, systems, or official orders.
エンジンが突然停止した。
The engine suddenly halted.
運行を停止します。
We will halt operations.
Specifically for a person halting while walking; to stop in one's tracks.
彼は突然立ち止まった。
He suddenly halted.
To cease doing something; to bring an ongoing action to an end.
Common transitive verb meaning to stop doing something. Used for voluntary actions.
彼はタバコをやめた。
He halted smoking.
議論をやめましょう。
Let's halt the argument.
To cancel or suspend an event, plan, or ongoing activity. Often used for scheduled things.
試合は雨で中止になった。
The match was halted due to rain.
計画を中止せざるを得なかった。
We had to halt the plan.
To terminate or cut off something abruptly, like a project or program.
To bring a moving object or person to a stop.
Transitive verb meaning to stop something. Used for vehicles, machines, people, etc.
彼は車を止めた。
He halted the car.
警備員が私を止めた。
The guard halted me.
Causative form of 停止する, meaning to make something halt. Formal.
システムを緊急停止させた。
We halted the system in an emergency.
Used as an interjection to order someone or something to halt.
Imperative form of 止まる. Standard command for 'Halt!' or 'Stop!'
止まれ！警察だ！
Halt! Police!
Loanword from English, used in casual commands or signs.
ストップ！それ以上行くな！
Halt! Don't go any further!
止まる is the everyday word for stopping. 停止する is more formal and often used for mechanical or official halts.
止める (とめる) means to physically stop something. やめる means to quit or stop doing an activity. Using the wrong one can cause confusion.
政府はそのプログラムを打ち切った。
The government halted the program.