‘静止’ (jìng zhǐ) is an adjective meaning ‘motionless’ or ‘stationary’, describing something that is completely still and not moving. The first character, 静 (jìng), means ‘quiet’, ‘calm’, or ‘still’, often referring to absence of sound or agitation; the second, 止 (zhǐ), means ‘to stop’ or ‘to cease’. Together, they emphasize a state of complete cessation of movement — stronger than just ‘not moving’ and closer to ‘frozen in place’. It’s commonly used in scientific, technical, or descriptive contexts, such as physics (e.g., ‘静止状态’ – stationary state), nature observation (e.g., animals holding perfectly still), or photography (e.g., capturing a静止 moment).

While it can describe people or objects, 静止 is more formal and objective than everyday alternatives like 不动 (bù dòng) or 站着不动 (zhànzhe bù dòng). It rarely appears in casual speech but appears frequently in written descriptions, textbooks, and commentary on behavior — especially when highlighting intentional or instinctive stillness, as seen in wildlife hiding from predators.