The Japanese verb '止まる (とまる)' means 'to stop'. It is used to describe the action of something ceasing movement or activity. This verb can be applied to various contexts, such as vehicles, people, or even natural phenomena. For example: the bus stopped「バスが止まった」(バスがとまった). The rain stopped「雨が止まった」(あめがとまった). Additionally, '止まる' can also imply a temporary pause, as in 'the clock stopped「時計が止まった」(とけいがとまった)'. It is important to note that '止まる' is an intransitive verb, meaning it does not take a direct object.