止とまる

と

ま

る

Common wordJLPTN4Freq.FrequencyTop 2,000

止まる · godan verb (-ru)

Form	Positive	Negative
Dictionary	止とまる	止とまらない
Polite	止とまります	止とまりません
Past polite	止とまりました	止とまりませんでした
Past	止とまった	止とまらなかった
Te-form	止とまって	止とまらないで
Desire	止とまりたい	止とまりたくない
Potential	止とまれる	止とまれない
Passive	止とまられる	止とまられない
Causative	止とまらせる	止とまらせない
Causative passive	止とまらせられるalso 止とまらされる	止とまらせられないalso 止とまらされない
Volitional	止とまろう
Polite volitional	止とまりましょう
Imperative	止とまれ	止とまるな
Conditional	止とまれば	止とまらなければ
Tara conditional	止とまったら	止とまらなかったら

Pairs with止める

Meanings

godan verb (-ru), intransitive verb

stop moving; come to a stop

Physical cessation of motion: vehicles, machines, people, or objects. 停まる is common for scheduled stops.

バスが停てい留りゅう所じょに止とまった。
The bus stopped at the bus stop.
時計とけいが止とまっている。
The clock has stopped.

godan verb (-ru), intransitive verb

stop functioning; cease; be suspended

Cessation of activity, operation, supply, or ongoing state. Often used for services, rain, or work.

電でん車しゃの運うん行こうが止とまった。
Train service stopped.
工こう場じょうの生せい産さんが止とまった。
Production at the factory has stopped.

godan verb (-ru), intransitive verb

alight; perch; settle

Only when written 留まる / 留る

For birds, insects, or light objects landing and staying on something. 留まる is the preferred kanji.

小こ鳥とりが枝えだに留とまっている。
A small bird is perched on the branch.

See all 633 example sentences ›

Usage patterns

信しん号ごうで止とまるto stop at a traffic light
車くるまは赤あか信しん号ごうで止とまった。
The car stopped at the red light.
雨あめが止とまるfor rain to stop
ようやく雨あめが止とまった。
The rain finally stopped.
〈物もの〉に止とまるfor a bird or insect to land on and perch on something
蝶ちょうが花はなに止とまった。
A butterfly landed on the flower.
電でん気きが止とまるfor the electricity (supply) to be cut off
台たい風ふうで電でん気きが止とまった。
The power went out because of the typhoon.

Expressions

血ちが止とまるstop bleeding
駅えきに止とまるstop at a station
心しん臓ぞうが止とまるone's heart stops beating · be shocked; be staggered

Kanji

止stop, halt
留detain, fasten, halt
停halt, stopping
駐stop-over, reside in, resident

Transitive / intransitive

止とめるN5sense 1
止める (とめる) is the transitive partner meaning to stop something, while 止まる is intransitive, meaning something stops on its own.

Related words

停てい止しN3sense 1
停止する is a formal, technical word for stopping (used for machines, traffic, systems), while 止まる is the everyday, general word for the same idea.
立たち止どまるN3
止まる is the general verb for anything coming to a stop (cars, machines, clocks), while 立ち止まる specifically describes a person halting their steps while walking.
ストップN3
止まる is the native Japanese intransitive verb for coming to a stop, whereas ストップ can express the same idea but sounds more like a command or signal term.
途と絶だえるN1
止まる is a general word for something stopping (movement, machines, function), while 途絶える specifically refers to an ongoing connection or flow being cut off.

Opposites· 6

動うごくN5sense 1
動く means to move, the direct opposite of 止まる meaning to stop moving.
回まわるN4
回る describes something turning or spinning, while 止まる describes it coming to a stop.
走はしり出だす
走り出す describes starting to run or move, while 止まる describes coming to a stop.

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かかるN5
止まる means an engine or machine stops, the opposite of 掛かる meaning it starts running.
動うごき出だす
止まる means 'to stop', the direct opposite of 動き出す, which means something begins moving or acting.
流ながれるN4
止まる means to stop or cease moving, the opposite of 流れる's sense of continuous flow.

Don't confuse with· 6

泊とまるN5sense 1
泊まる is pronounced identically to 止まる but means to stay overnight, not to stop moving.
とどまるN2
止まる（とまる）means 'to stop' moving or functioning, while 止まる（とどまる）means 'to stay/remain' in a place or state, even though they share the same kanji.
滞とどこおるN1
止まる simply means something stops moving, while 滞る implies a buildup or backlog forming because things aren't moving forward.

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よすN3
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.
止やむN4
止む is used for natural phenomena or sounds ending on their own (rain, wind, crying), while 止まる describes physical movement or machines coming to a stop.
たまるN3
止まる sounds similar and shares a kanji component but means to stop moving, unlike 溜まる, which means to accumulate.

Word family· 10

立たち止どまるN3
stop; halt; pause; stand still
行いき止どまりN1
dead end; no through road; cul-de-sac · end; limit; as far as one can go
止とまり
stop; end; stoppage
手て止どまり
last move; final play
止とまり木ぎ
perch · barstool

Show 5 more

高たか止どまり
remaining high; staying at a high level
下さげ止どまり
bottoming out; ceasing to fall; reaching a floor
当とう駅えき止どまり
terminating at this station; out of service
止とまりばめ
transition fit; sliding fit; snug fit
行ゆき止どまる
come to a dead end; reach an impasse; get bogged down

Written forms

止とまるUsage63%
Most common kanji for stopping movement, activity, or supply.
とまるUsage17%
留とまるUsage10%
Used especially for birds or insects alighting/perching, and for things staying in one place.
停とまるUsage8%
Often used for vehicles stopping at a scheduled place (bus, train).
止とまるUsage2%
Less common okurigana variant.
留とまるUsage<1%
Less common okurigana variant for alighting/perching.
駐とまるUsage<1%
Rare kanji for parking a vehicle; 駐車する is more common.

Etymology

Native Japanese verb. The kanji 止 is used for stopping motion or activity, 留 for staying/perching, 停 for scheduled stops, and 駐 for parking. The core meaning is intransitive cessation or remaining in place.