暂停 (zàntíng) · to pause

暂停 (zàntíng) means “to pause; to suspend”. It is written with 2 characters: 暂 (temporary) + 停 (to stop). It is an HSK 4 word in the current exam syllabus (2025).

How 暂停 is built

The characters

暂 zàn · temporary

What 暂 is made of

斩zhǎn — to chop
- 车chē — cart
  - 七qī — seven
  - 十 — ten
- 斤jīn — a catty (about 500 grams)
  - 厂chǎng — cliff
  - 下xià — below
日rì — sun; day
- 口kǒu — mouth
  - 冂 — frame
  - 一 — horizontal stroke
- 一 — horizontal stroke

停 tíng · to stop

What 停 is made of

亻rén — person
亭tíng — pavilion
- 亠tóu — lid
  - 丶 — dot
  - 一 — horizontal stroke
- 口kǒu — mouth
  - 冂 — frame
  - 一 — horizontal stroke
- 冖mì — cover
- 丁dīng — male adult

Origin hint: 亻 gives the meaning, 亭 gives the sound. (from the Make Me a Hanzi dataset; treat as a memory aid where history is uncertain)

Example sentences

比赛暂停十分钟。Bǐsài zàntíng shí fēnzhōng.The match is paused for ten minutes.

下雨了，课外活动暂停。Xià yǔ le, kèwài huódòng zàntíng.It's raining, so outdoor activities are suspended.

Questions about 暂停

What does 暂停 mean?

暂停 (zàntíng) means “to pause; to suspend”.

How do you pronounce 暂停?

暂停 is pronounced zàntíng.

Which HSK level is 暂停?

暂停 is in HSK 4 (exam 2025).

Related words

Learn 暂停 with its group

It is part of HSK 4 · Group 92: a short group with quick checks and spaced repeats.

Open the group