停歇 (tíng xiē) — (of a business) to close down, to stop operatio… | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

A literary/written verb that covers both senses: a business closing down, or people/activity pausing for a break. More formal than 休息 (just 'to rest') and broader — it can apply to a shop, team, or work stopping, not only resting.

verb

(of a business) to close downto stop operationsto restto take a breakto stop for a while

Examples

停歇。
Nà jiā lǎo diàn yǐ jīng tíng xiē le.
That old shop has already closed down.
，停歇。
Pá le sān gè xiǎo shí shān, wǒ men zhǎo gè dì fāng tíng xiē yí xià.
After climbing for three hours, let's find a place to rest for a bit.
，停歇。
Bào yǔ guò hòu, shī gōng duì zàn shí tíng xiē.
After the heavy rain, the construction team temporarily stopped work.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

“停” and “歇” both involve stopping or resting, so together they mean to cease work or take a break.

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.

亻亭停

Meaning part形符xíngfú

亻Written in full as人rén

Sound part声符shēngfú

亭

亭tíng停tíng

Same sound today

The left side 亻 is a person, and the right side 亭 gives the sound tíng; this forms 停.

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

曷欠歇

Meaning part形符xíngfú

Sound part声符shēngfú

曷

曷hé歇xiē

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

歇 uses 曷 for its sound hé and 欠 for its meaning.

Appears in

Business & Commerce Daily Routine

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.