verb HSK 4
to stop walking · to halt one's steps · to cease progress
Meaning
停步 literally means 'to stop one's steps' and is used when someone halts their walking or forward movement. It can be used both literally (physically stopping while walking) and figuratively (stopping progress or advancement in some endeavor). The word combines 停 (to stop) with 步 (step/pace).
Usage
This is a somewhat formal or literary term. In everyday casual conversation, people more commonly say 停下 or 停下来. 停步 appears frequently in written Chinese, narrative prose, and formal contexts. It often carries a deliberate or decisive quality, suggesting an intentional halt rather than a casual pause.
Examples
- 01他在门口停步，回头看了一眼。, .He stopped at the doorway and looked back.
- 02我们不能在困难面前停步。.We cannot halt our progress in the face of difficulties.
Characters
Common collocations
- 停步不前to stop and not move forward
- 不再停步no longer stop/halt
- 突然停步to suddenly stop
Antonyms
Origin
Compound word combining 停 (to stop) and 步 (step). The literal meaning 'stop step' naturally extends to the concept of halting movement or progress.