zhōngzhǐ: 中止 - To Suspend, Discontinue, Terminate

• Keywords: 中止, zhongzhi, stop in Chinese, suspend Chinese, discontinue Chinese, terminate agreement Chinese, cancel process Chinese, 中止 vs 停止, 中止 vs 终止, formal Chinese verb, HSK 6 vocabulary.
• Summary: Learn the formal Chinese verb 中止 (zhōngzhǐ), which means to suspend, discontinue, or terminate an ongoing activity, process, or agreement. This page breaks down its meaning, compares it to similar words like 停止 (tíngzhǐ) and 终止 (zhōngzhǐ), and provides numerous examples of its use in business, legal, and official contexts. Mastering 中止 is key to understanding formal communication in modern China.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): zhōng zhǐ
• Part of Speech: Verb
• HSK Level: HSK 6
• Concise Definition: To stop or suspend an activity or process midway through.
• In a Nutshell: 中止 (zhōngzhǐ) isn't your everyday “stop.” Think of it as the official “cancel” or “suspend” button for something already in motion. You don't 中止 a car at a red light; you 中止 a project, a contract, or a negotiation. It carries a formal weight and implies a deliberate decision to halt a significant, ongoing process.

• 中 (zhōng): Meaning “middle,” “in,” or “center.” The character is a simple pictogram of a line passing through the center of a square, representing something central or in the middle.
• 止 (zhǐ): Meaning “to stop” or “to halt.” This character is a pictograph of a foot, symbolizing the act of stopping one's movement.
• Combined Meaning: The characters literally combine to mean “to stop in the middle” (中 + 止). This perfectly captures the essence of the word: halting an action that is currently in progress, before it has reached its natural conclusion.

While 中止 doesn't carry deep philosophical weight like `关系 (guānxi)`, its importance lies in its formality and role in procedural and legal culture in China. It signifies a structured and serious approach to agreements and projects. In Western business or legal contexts, we might use several different words like “suspend,” “terminate,” “adjourn,” or “discontinue.” 中止 (zhōngzhǐ) often covers the sense of “suspend” or “discontinue.” A key cultural nuance is that 中止 can sometimes imply a temporary halt with the possibility of resumption, much like “to suspend.” This contrasts with a more final word like “terminate.” Its use reflects a society where formal processes, contracts, and official decisions are taken very seriously, and the language used to describe them is precise and distinct from everyday speech.

中止 is almost exclusively used in formal written or spoken contexts. You will rarely hear it in casual conversation among friends.

• Business and Legal: This is the most common environment for 中止. It's used for discontinuing contracts, partnerships, projects, or negotiations.
  • “The company decided to 中止 its cooperation with the supplier.”
• Official Announcements & News: Governments and organizations use 中止 to announce the suspension of services, talks, or investigations.
  • “The two countries have 中止d diplomatic relations.”
• Technology/Software: In user interfaces, 中止 is often the label on a button to “Cancel” or “Abort” an ongoing process like a download, installation, or file transfer. It signals to the user that they are stopping the process before it is complete.
• Sports: An umpire or referee might 中止 a match due to bad weather or other unforeseen circumstances.

The connotation is generally neutral but always serious. It's a statement of fact about a significant action being halted.

• Example 1:
  • 由于资金不足，这个项目被迫中止了。
  • Pinyin: Yóuyú zījīn bùzú, zhège xiàngmù bèi pò zhōngzhǐ le.
  • English: Due to insufficient funds, this project was forced to be discontinued.
  • Analysis: A classic example of 中止 in a business/project context. The halt is due to a specific reason and happens mid-project.
• Example 2:
  • 因为大雨，足球比赛不得不中止。
  • Pinyin: Yīnwèi dàyǔ, zúqiú bǐsài bùdébù zhōngzhǐ.
  • English: Because of the heavy rain, the soccer match had to be suspended.
  • Analysis: Here, 中止 implies a suspension. The game is stopped with the possibility of resuming later if the weather clears.
• Example 3:
  • 双方决定中止正在进行的谈判。
  • Pinyin: Shuāngfāng juédìng zhōngzhǐ zhèngzài jìnxíng de tánpàn.
  • English: Both sides decided to suspend the ongoing negotiations.
  • Analysis: Note the use of “ongoing” (正在进行), which highlights the core meaning of stopping something mid-activity.
• Example 4:
  • 如果你现在点击“中止”，所有未保存的更改都将丢失。
  • Pinyin: Rúguǒ nǐ xiànzài diǎnjī “zhōngzhǐ”, suǒyǒu wèi bǎocún de gēnggǎi dōu jiāng diūshī.
  • English: If you click “Cancel” now, all unsaved changes will be lost.
  • Analysis: This demonstrates the common use of 中止 in a software or IT context, equivalent to “Cancel” or “Abort.”
• Example 5:
  • 法院下令中止该工厂的运营。
  • Pinyin: Fǎyuàn xiàlìng zhōngzhǐ gāi gōngchǎng de yùnyíng.
  • English: The court ordered the suspension of the factory's operations.
  • Analysis: This shows the legal and authoritative power associated with the word. The action is a formal order.
• Example 6:
  • 医生建议他中止当前的治疗方案，尝试新的方法。
  • Pinyin: Yīshēng jiànyì tā zhōngzhǐ dāngqián de zhìliáo fāng'àn, chángshì xīn de fāngfǎ.
  • English: The doctor recommended that he discontinue the current treatment plan and try a new method.
  • Analysis: Used in a formal medical context. It's not just “stopping” medicine, but discontinuing a formal plan of treatment.
• Example 7:
  • 由于出现了意外的技术问题，我们必须中止发射程序。
  • Pinyin: Yóuyú chūxiànle yìwài de jìshù wèntí, wǒmen bìxū zhōngzhǐ fāshè chéngxù.
  • English: Due to an unexpected technical problem, we must abort the launch sequence.
  • Analysis: Highlights the use of 中止 for aborting a formal, step-by-step procedure.
• Example 8:
  • 该公司单方面中止了与我们的合同。
  • Pinyin: Gāi gōngsī dānfāngmiàn zhōngzhǐ le yǔ wǒmen de hétong.
  • English: That company unilaterally terminated our contract.
  • Analysis: In a contract context, 中止 often means “terminate” or “cancel.” The use of “unilaterally” (单方面) adds to the formal, legalistic tone.
• Example 9:
  • 警方中止了对失踪人员的搜索行动。
  • Pinyin: Jǐngfāng zhōngzhǐ le duì shīzōng rényuán de sōusuǒ xíngdòng.
  • English: The police have called off the search operation for the missing person.
  • Analysis: “Called off” or “suspended” is a good translation here. It's an official action being halted.
• Example 10:
  • 在达成协议之前，所有相关工作都已中止。
  • Pinyin: Zài dáchéng xiéyì zhīqián, suǒyǒu xiāngguān gōngzuò dōu yǐ zhōngzhǐ.
  • English: All related work has been suspended until an agreement is reached.
  • Analysis: This clearly shows the “suspension” aspect of 中止, implying that work will resume after a condition is met.

The most common point of confusion for learners is distinguishing 中止 from other words that mean “stop.”

• 中止 (zhōngzhǐ) vs. 停止 (tíngzhǐ):
  • 中止 means to stop something in the middle. It's for an ongoing process. (e.g., 中止项目 - suspend a project).
  • 停止 (tíngzhǐ) is a more general “stop.” It can be used for things that haven't started (e.g., 停止抱怨 - stop complaining) or for simple actions (e.g., 停止哭泣 - stop crying).
  • Incorrect: ~~我们应该中止抱怨。~~ (Wǒmen yīnggāi zhōngzhǐ bàoyuàn.)
  • Correct: 我们应该停止抱怨。 (Wǒmen yīnggāi tíngzhǐ bàoyuàn.)
• 中止 (zhōngzhǐ) vs. 终止 (zhōngzhǐ):
  • This is a very subtle but important distinction. They have the same pinyin!
  • 中止 (stop-middle): Often implies a suspension that could be temporary.
  • 终止 (end-stop): Is more final and absolute. It means “to terminate” in the sense of bringing something to its final end. A contract that is 终止'd is over for good. A contract that is 中止'd might be paused.
• Common Mistake: Using 中止 for simple actions.
  • A learner might try to say “Stop the car!” using 中止.
  • Incorrect: ~~中止那辆车！~~ (Zhōngzhǐ nà liàng chē!)
  • Correct: 停下那辆车！ ( Tíngxià nà liàng chē!) or just 停! (Tíng!).

• 停止 (tíngzhǐ) - A general verb for “to stop.” 中止 is a more specific, formal type of 停止.
• 终止 (zhōngzhǐ) - A very close synonym meaning “to terminate.” It's more final and absolute than 中止. The “end” character (终) implies finality.
• 暂停 (zàntíng) - To pause, to suspend temporarily. This is explicitly temporary, like pressing the pause button on a video or in a game. 中止 can be temporary, but 暂停 always is.
• 取消 (qǔxiāo) - To cancel. Used for things that are planned but haven't started, like an appointment, a flight, or an order. You 取消 a reservation, but you 中止 a construction project.
• 中断 (zhōngduàn) - To interrupt, to cut short. Often implies that an external force caused the stop (e.g., a power outage 中断'd the internet connection).
• 放弃 (fàngqì) - To give up, abandon. This is a personal choice driven by will or emotion. You 放弃 a dream or a bad habit; a committee 中止s a formal plan.
• 结束 (jiéshù) - To end, to finish, to conclude. This usually refers to something reaching its natural or planned conclusion, not being stopped early. A movie 结束s; a project that runs out of money is 中止d.