停顿
Traditional: 停頓
tíng dùn HSK 6

English Meaning

Categories

📚 Example Sentences

他说话时停顿了一下。
Tā shuōhuà shí tíngdùnle yīxià.
He paused for a moment while speaking.
交通因事故而停顿了。
Jiāotōng yīn shìgù ér tíngdùnle.
Traffic halted due to an accident.
项目因资金问题而停顿。
Xiàngmù yīn zījīn wèntí ér tíngdùn.
The project stopped due to funding issues.
他停顿了一下。
Tā tíngdùn le yīxià.
He paused for a moment.
音乐停顿了。
Yīnyuè tíngdùn le.
The music stopped.

💡 Memory Tip

Break the characters: 停 (tíng) means 'to stop' and 顿 (dùn) implies a 'pause' or 'halt'. Think of it as 'stop-pause'—a temporary stop.

📝 Usage Notes

Used in both formal and informal contexts, in spoken and written Chinese. Common in narratives describing speech (e.g., storytelling, reports) or any activity that halts briefly, such as music, work, or traffic.

📖 Grammar Points

Often followed by time or frequency complements (e.g., 停顿了一下, 停顿片刻). Can be used as a verb (她停顿了) or a noun (有一个停顿).

🏯 Cultural Notes

In Chinese communication, a thoughtful pause (停顿) during speech is often seen as a sign of consideration or emphasis, rather than hesitation, especially in formal or rhetorical contexts.

🔄 Similar Words

Compared to 停止 (tíngzhǐ, to stop completely/terminate), 停顿 implies a temporary pause with intention to resume. 中断 (zhōngduàn) means to interrupt or discontinue, often for a longer or unexpected break.

Master this word with quizzes, flashcards & more

Learn 停顿 in CILI →

Related Words