よす・止すyosu[1]atamadaka (head-high)

1. godan verb, transitive verbto stop (doing); to cease; to desist; to drop; to lay off; to give up; to quit
   爪つめを噛かむのはよしなさい。↗

   Don't bite your nails.

• Synonym止めるとめるNeutralRead とめる. Brings something moving or in progress to a stop, as 「車を止める」; 「止す」 is about giving up doing something yourself.
• Synonym打ち切るうちきるNeutralEnds something partway through, as 「交渉を打ち切る」; often suggests a unilateral decision to terminate rather than simply quitting.
• Synonym取りやめるとりやめるNeutralCancels something already planned, as 「旅行を取りやめる」; the point is calling off a plan, not simply quitting yourself.
• Related打ち切りうちきりNeutralNoun for a cancellation or ending, as 「番組が打ち切りになる」 for a show being axed.
• Related切り上げるきりあげるNeutralMeans wrapping up at a convenient point, as 「早めに切り上げる」; also used for rounding numbers up.
• Related停止ていしWrittenWritten/formal word for a halt or suspension of operations or activity, as 「営業停止」; 「止す」 is colloquial and about quitting yourself.
• Related中止ちゅうしNeutralCancellation or calling off, as 「試合中止」; used mostly for events and activities.
• Related休止きゅうしNeutralA temporary pause or suspension, as 「運転休止」; implies the stop is only for a while.
• Related差し止めるさしとめるNeutralTo forbid or restrain someone by order, as 「出版を差し止める」; carries a coercive force.
• Antonym始めるはじめるNeutralTo start or begin something; the opposite of 「止す」 in its sense of stopping.
• Antonym続けるつづけるNeutralTo keep on doing something; the opposite of 「止す」 in its sense of quitting.

Colloquially, 「止す」 means giving up or not doing something yourself, as 「冗談はよせ」; the everyday word is 「やめる」. Use 「取りやめる」 to cancel plans, 「打ち切る」 to cut something off midway, and 「中止」 when an event is called off; the opposite is 「続ける」.

Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only

1. 止とめる。