立ち止まる|たちどまるtachidomaru[4]nakadaka (mid-high)
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- godan verb, intransitive verbto stop (in one's tracks); to come to a stop; to halt; to pause; to stand still
Conjugation
| Dictionary form | 立ち止まる(たちどまる) |
|---|---|
| Polite (masu) | 立ち止まります(たちどまります) |
| Negative (nai) | 立ち止まらない(たちどまらない) |
| polite (masen) | 立ち止まりません(たちどまりません) |
| classical zu / nu | 立ち止まらず・立ち止まらぬ(たちどまらず・たちどまらぬ) |
| Past (ta) | 立ち止まった(たちどまった) |
| polite (mashita) | 立ち止まりました(たちどまりました) |
| Past negative (nakatta) | 立ち止まらなかった(たちどまらなかった) |
| polite (masen deshita) | 立ち止まりませんでした(たちどまりませんでした) |
| Te form | 立ち止まって(たちどまって) |
| Potential | 立ち止まれる(たちどまれる) |
| Passive | 立ち止まられる(たちどまられる) |
| Causative | 立ち止まらせる(たちどまらせる) |
| Causative passive | 立ち止まらせられる・立ち止まらされる(たちどまらせられる・たちどまらされる) |
| Conditional (ba) | 立ち止まれば(たちどまれば) |
| tara | 立ち止まったら(たちどまったら) |
| Volitional | 立ち止まろう(たちどまろう) |
| polite (mashou) | 立ち止まりましょう(たちどまりましょう) |
| Imperative | 立ち止まれ(たちどまれ) |
Common forms generated by rule; see the senses for honorific or irregular usage.
- Synonym止まるとまるNeutralThe all-purpose word for stopping, covering vehicles and machines too; 「立ち止まる」 is a person halting in their tracks or pausing what they are doing.
- SynonymたたずむWrittenTo stand quietly in one spot, with a literary flavor; 「立ち止まる」 centers on the act of stopping itself.
- Related停車ていしゃNeutralSaid of vehicles stopping or pulling up; 「立ち止まる」 is a pedestrian stopping in their tracks.
- Related休止きゅうしWrittenWritten/formal prose for suspending an activity or operation; 「立ち止まる」 is halting in one's tracks or pausing to reflect.
- Related停留ていりゅうWrittenWritten/formal prose for staying on in a place; 「立ち止まる」 is a temporary stop, whether halting mid-walk or breaking off what one was doing.
- Related一時停止いちじていしNeutralA pause before resuming, or a temporary stop at intersections and railway crossings; 「立ち止まる」 is mostly said of people.
- Related佇立ちょりつWrittenWritten/formal prose for standing still a long while; 「立ち止まる」 is a brief stop in one's tracks.
- Antonym立ち去るたちさるNeutralTo leave or take one's leave — the opposite of 「立ち止まる」, which is stopping and staying put.
- Antonym進むすすむNeutralTo move forward or make progress — the opposite of halting in one's tracks as 「立ち止まる」 does.
Use 「立ち止まる」 when a person stops in their tracks or pauses to reflect. For stopping in general, including vehicles and machines, say 「止まる」; for vehicles, 「停車」; for standing quietly, 「佇む」; for moving on, 「進む」. 「休止」「停留」「佇立」 are written/formal, and 「一時停止」 is a temporary stop.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only


