立ち止まる|たちどまるtachidomaru[4]nakadaka (mid-high)

JLPT N2approx.Common
たちとまるtachitomaruok
Definitions
  1. godan verb, intransitive verbto stop (in one's tracks); to come to a stop; to halt; to pause; to stand still
    彼かれは立ち止たちどまってポスターをのぞき込こんだ。↗
    He paused to look at the poster.
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.

Synonyms & antonyms
  • 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

Japanese definitions
  1. 歩あるくのをやめてその場ばに止とまる。
  2. それまでしていたことを中断ちゅうだんする。手てを休やすめる。
  3. 宿泊しゅくはくする。
Kanji in this word
English equivalents
See also

JLPT vocabulary levels are community estimates, not official (no official lists have been published since the 2010 revision).

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