TongTong
Sign in

打住 (dǎ zhù) — to stop (talking or doing something); to come to a halt; (used as an interjection telling someone to stop)

Definition

Used as an interjection to abruptly cut someone or something off mid-action — like 'stop right there' or 'hold it.' It is the act of suddenly halting, not a polite pause.

verb
to stop (talking or doing something)to come to a halt(used as an interjection telling someone to stop)

Examples

  • 打住，。
    dǎ zhù, Bié shuō le.
    Stop, don't say anymore.
  • 打住，。
    Nǐ zhè huà dé dǎ zhù le, wǒ bú ài tīng.
    You need to stop with that talk; I don't like hearing it.
  • 打住，。
    Tā jiǎng zhe jiǎng zhe tū rán dǎ zhù le, dà jiā dōu kàn zhe tā.
    He was talking and then suddenly stopped; everyone looked at him.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
补充bǔchōngVerb + complement

An action followed by its result or direction.

打dǎdo
住zhùhold

打 conveys an action being carried out, and 住 conveys holding it still, so 打住 means to come to a halt.

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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
扌Written in full as手shǒuhand
Sound part声符shēngfú
丁
丁dīng打dǎ
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

打 uses 扌, a hand, to show an action done with the hand, and 丁 to give the sound.

Open 打 →

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

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
Communication & Speech

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