よす

よ

す

Common wordJLPTN3Freq.FrequencyTop 20,000

よす · godan verb (-su)

Meanings

godan verb (-su), transitive verb

usually written using kana alone

Used for stopping an action or habit, often with a nuance of abandoning something one was doing. Common in casual speech; やめる is more general.

〈事こと〉はよした方ほうがいいyou'd better stop/give up on something
そんな危き険けんな遊あそびはよした方ほうがいい。
You'd better stop playing such a dangerous game.
〈事こと〉をよすto quit or give up something
たばこをよすことにした。
I decided to quit smoking.
〈動どう詞し〉のをよすto decide not to do something after all
雨あめが降ふっていたので、出でかけるのをよした。
Since it was raining, I decided not to go out.
よせused as a sharp command meaning "Stop it!"
よせ、けんかはよせ！
Stop it! Quit fighting!

やめるN4
やめる is the general, all-purpose word for stopping or quitting, while 止す is a more casual, colloquial synonym that often implies abandoning something partway through.
中ちゅう止しN4
中止する is a formal term for canceling or discontinuing a planned event, whereas 止す is casual everyday speech for quitting an action or habit.
断だん念ねんN1
断念する means to give up on a plan or hope with a sense of resignation, while 止す is a plain, casual word for simply stopping or quitting an action.

続つづけるN4
続ける means to keep doing something, the opposite of 止す, which means to stop or give up on it.

止とまるN4
止まる (とまる) means for something to stop moving on its own, while 止す (よす) means to deliberately quit or give up doing an action, despite sharing the same kanji.

よすUsage87%
Usually written in kana; the kanji form 止す is rare and may be confused with 止める (とめる/やめる).
止よすUsage11%
Kanji form is listed in dictionaries but rarely used in practice; kana is strongly preferred.
ヨスUsage2%

The historical derivation is uncertain; the kana spelling よす is standard, and the kanji 止 is conventionally associated with stopping.