拦住 (lán zhù) — to block, to stop (someone from doing something)

Definition

拦住 means to physically intercept or cut off someone's path — stopping them from moving or reaching a place. It is more forceful and concrete than 阻止 (to obstruct/prevent), which can be abstract or policy-based.

verb

to blockto stop (someone from doing something)

Examples

拦住。
Jǐng chá lán zhù le nà liàng táo pǎo de chē.
The police stopped the fleeing car.
拦住，。
Tā lán zhù wǒ, bú ràng wǒ jìn qù.
He stopped me from going in.
拦住。
Méi rén néng lán zhù tā.
No one can stop him.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

补充bǔchōngVerb + complement

An action followed by its result or direction.

拦lánblock

住zhùhold

“拦” means to block, and “住” adds the idea of holding it in place, so the action stops someone.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 攔; 拦 is its simplified writing.

扌闌攔

Meaning part形符xíngfú

扌Written in full as手shǒuhands

Sound part声符shēngfú

闌

闌lán攔lán

Same sound today

In the traditional form 攔, 扌 (hands) is paired with 闌, which gives the sound. The simplified 拦 is a shorthand, and its right side is not the original sound part.

Open 拦 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

亻主住

Meaning part形符xíngfú

亻Written in full as人rén

Sound part声符shēngfú

主

主zhǔ住zhù

Same sound today

住 pairs 亻, the person radical (written fully as 人), with 主, which supplies the sound.

Open 住 →

Appears in