What is the Kanji for "Stop"?

If you are wondering what is the Japanese Kanji for "Stop", you've come to the right place!

The Japanese Kanji for "Stop" is "止".

This kanji has 3 readings:

Its kunyomi readings are "Ya" and "To".

Its onyomi reading is "Shi".

kunyomi readings are based on the pronunciation of native Japanese words, and onyomi readings are based on the Chinese pronunciation of the character.

If you visually breakdown this kanji, you can see is made up of 2 parts:

The kanji "上" means "Up" and can be read as "Ue", "Jou", and "A". And The radical "丨" means "Stick" .

Now, let's make sure you understand this kanji the other way around too.

What does the kanji "止" mean in japanese?

"止" means "Stop".

Japanese School Students learn this kanji in Second Grade, while foreigners may learn this kanji in preparation for the JLPT N4 exam.

Here are some words that use this kanji:

止める: "Stop" or "Quit". The Japanese verb '止める (やめる)' can mean 'to stop' or 'to quit'. It is used when ending an action, activity, or habit. Examples: I stopped running - (走るのを止めた). I quit my job - (仕事を止めた).

止まる: "Stop". The Japanese verb '止まる (とまる)' means 'to stop'. This verb is used to describe the act of ceasing movement or activity. It can be used with a variety of subjects, such as a person, vehicle, or process. For example: The car stopped at the red light - (車は信号で止まった). The rain stopped - (雨が止まった).

行き止まり: "Dead end". The noun '行き止まり (いきどまり)' means 'dead end'. This word refers to a road, path, or passageway that has no outlet and terminates abruptly, leading to a point where one cannot proceed any further. It can be used literally to describe a physical dead end, or metaphorically to describe a situation with no clear solution or way forward. Examples: This road is a dead end - (この道は行き止まりです). The company's strategy has reached a dead end - (会社の戦略は行き止まりに達した).

止む: "Stop". The verb '止む (やむ)' means 'to stop'. It is used to describe when an action, process, or event comes to an end. This verb can be used in a variety of contexts, such as when something stops occurring, when a feeling or emotion subsides, or when a problem or difficulty is resolved. For example: The rain stopped - (雨が止んだ). The fighting has finally stopped - (戦闘がついに止んだ).

禁止: "Prohibit" or "Ban". The Japanese verbal noun '禁止 (きんし)' means 'to prohibit' or 'to ban'. It is used to indicate that something is not allowed or is forbidden. This word is often used in rules, regulations, and laws to express restrictions. For example: Smoking is prohibited here - (ここでは喫煙が禁止されています). The park is closed, entry is prohibited - (公園は閉園中で入場が禁止されています).

受け止める: "Grasp". The Japanese verb '受け止める (うけとめる)' means 'to grasp' or 'to comprehend'. This verb is used to describe the act of understanding or apprehending the meaning, significance, or implications of something. It suggests a deeper level of comprehension beyond just a superficial understanding. For example: I grasped the meaning of his words - (彼の言葉の意味を受け止めた). She grasped the gravity of the situation - (彼女はその状況の重大さを受け止めた).

止め: "Stop". The noun '止め (とめ)' means 'stop'. It refers to the act of ceasing an action or preventing something from continuing. This word can be used in various contexts, such as stopping a machine, ending a conversation, or halting a movement. For example: I need to hit the stop button - (止めのボタンを押す必要がある). The stop sign is red - (止まれの標識は赤い).

中止: "Stop". The verbal noun '中止 (ちゅうし)' means 'to stop'. This term is used to indicate that an event, activity, or process has been terminated or discontinued. It conveys the idea of bringing something to an end, often due to unforeseen circumstances or a conscious decision. For example: The concert was stopped - (コンサートは中止された). They had to stop the game due to the rain - (雨のため試合を中止した).

通行止め: "Road closure". The Japanese noun '通行止め (つうこうどめ)' refers to a road closure or blockage that prevents vehicle or pedestrian traffic from passing through. This term is commonly used to indicate a temporary or permanent closure of a road, often due to construction, an accident, or other events that make the road inaccessible. For example: The road was closed due to construction - (工事のため、通行止めになっていた). There is a road closure ahead - (先に通行止めがあります).

立ち止まる: "Stop". The Japanese verb '立ち止まる (たちどまる)' means 'to stop'. This verb is used when someone or something physically stops moving or halts their progress. It can also be used figuratively to describe someone pausing to reflect or consider something. For example: She suddenly stopped walking - (彼女は突然歩くのを止まった). I stopped to admire the view - (私は景色を眺めるために立ち止まった).

引き止める: "Detain" or "Hold back". The Japanese verb '引き止める (ひきとめる)' means 'to detain' or 'to hold back'. This verb is used to describe the action of preventing someone or something from leaving or moving forward. It can be used in situations where you want to stop someone from leaving or keep them in a particular place. For example: I tried to detain the thief until the police arrived - (私は警察が到着するまで泥棒を引き止めようとした). She held me back from running into the burning building - (彼女は私が燃え盛る建物に走り込むのを引き止めた).

立ち入り禁止: "No entry". The Japanese noun '立ち入り禁止 (たちいりきんし)' means 'no entry'. This term is used to indicate an area or space that is off-limits or restricted from public access, usually due to safety or security reasons. It is commonly seen on signs or barriers at the entrance of construction sites, industrial facilities, or other restricted areas. For example: The area is marked 'no entry' - (その場所は'立ち入り禁止'と書いてある). Employees must obey the 'no entry' signs - (従業員は'立ち入り禁止'の看板に従わなければならない).

廃止: "Abolish" or "Discontinue". The Japanese verbal noun '廃止 (はいし)' means 'to abolish' or 'to discontinue'. This word is used to describe the act of formally ending or stopping something, such as a law, regulation, program, or system. It suggests the complete removal or termination of the thing being abolished. For example: The government has decided to abolish the old tax system - (政府は古い税制度を廃止することを決めた). The company has discontinued its product line - (その企業は製品ラインを廃止した).

停止: "Stop". The Japanese verbal noun '停止 (ていし)' means 'to stop'. This term is used to describe the act of ceasing movement or action. It can be used in various contexts, such as stopping a vehicle, pausing an activity, or discontinuing a process. For example: The train stopped at the station - (電車が駅で停止した). I need to stop working for a break - (作業を停止して休憩する必要がある)

防止: "Prevention". The Japanese verbal noun '防止 (ぼうし)' means 'prevention'. It refers to the act or process of stopping something from happening, such as an undesirable event or outcome. It is commonly used in contexts related to safety, security, and risk management. For example: Accident prevention - (事故の防止). The company implemented measures to prevent data breaches - (同社はデータ漏洩を防止するための施策を実施した).

To make really sure you learn this Kanji, I've prepared an interactive lesson for you. You are going to learn the readings and meanings of this kanji.

But first, you need to know a little bit about Hiragana and Katakana.

Hiragana and katakana are japanese syllabaries, this means that each character represents a syllable.

This are the characters you need to know for this lesson:

The hiragana "や" is read as "ya". The hiragana "し" is read as "shi". And The hiragana "と" is read as "to".

Heres a quick tutorial on how to use it. You'll be asked three type of questions: meaning, reading, and writing.

For meanings questions all you have to do is type the english meaning. If there is more than one meaning, you have to include them all in your answer separating them by commas (,).

For Reading questions you have to type the reading in romaji (roman letters, our normal alphabet) and it'll be automatically converted to hiragana if necessary. If there is more than one reading, you have to include them all in your answer separating them by commas (,).

For Writing questions some options will appear and all you have to do is select the correct ones.