停止 (tíng zhǐ) is a compound verb meaning 'to stop' or 'to cease' — used when an action, process, or state comes to an end. The first character 停 (tíng) means 'to pause' or 'to halt', often implying a temporary standstill; the second character 止 (zhǐ) means 'to stop' or 'to end', carrying a stronger sense of finality or prohibition. Together, they form a formal, neutral-to-advanced verb commonly used in written Chinese, official announcements, instructions, and news reports — less frequent in casual speech than simpler alternatives like 停 (tíng) alone or 别…了 (bié…le).

This word applies to physical actions (e.g., stopping a vehicle), abstract processes (e.g., halting negotiations), or ongoing states (e.g., ceasing production). It’s often followed by a noun (e.g., 停止工作 — 'cease work') or used intransitively with context (e.g., 请立即停止 — 'Please stop immediately'). It can also appear in passive or causative constructions (e.g., 被停止 — 'was stopped').