不止 means 'not only' or 'more than' and functions as a conjunction or adverb to indicate that something exceeds a stated quantity, degree, or scope. The character 不 means 'not', and 止 means 'to stop' or 'to cease'; together, they literally convey 'does not stop at [just this]', implying addition or excess. It often introduces an additional element in a list or signals that a number or description is a minimum — not an upper limit.

This word commonly appears before numbers (e.g., 不止三次 'more than three times'), nouns (e.g., 不止一个人 'not only one person'), or clauses (e.g., 不止会唱歌，还会跳舞 'not only can sing, but also dance'). It carries a neutral, slightly formal tone and is widely used in both spoken and written Mandarin. Unlike the verb 止 (to stop), 不止 is never used alone as a verb — it always modifies quantity or scope.