The kanji 止 means "to stop," "to halt," "to cease," or "to prevent." It signifies the act of bringing something to an end, whether it's a physical action, a process, or a state. It can also imply the prevention of something from happening.

・On-yomi (音読み): シ (shi) ・Kun-yomi (訓読み): と止まる (to止maru: to stop), と止める (to止meru: to stop something)

⚫︎ 中止（ちゅうし） Translation: Cancellation, suspension ⚫︎ 禁止（きんし） Translation: Prohibition, ban ⚫︎ 停止（ていし） Translation: Stop, suspension, halt

The kanji 止 is a pictograph. It depicts a footprint. The foot is the origin of stopping. It visually represents the act of stopping by showing a foot coming to a halt. Over time, the form evolved from the original depiction of a foot. The act of halting and stopping is, therefore, at the core of the kanji’s meaning.