Japanese word

呼び止める

Pronunciation

Romajiyobitomeru

Meaning

  • verbcall out to

Example

道で先生を呼び止めました。michi de sen sei o yo bi to me ma shi ta

I called out to my teacher on the street.

Illustration for 呼び止める (call out to)

More examples

急いでいる人を呼び止めるのは、相手の迷惑になることがあります。iso i de i ru hito o yo bi to me ru no wa ai te no mei waku ni na ru ko to ga a ri ma su

Calling out to someone who is in a hurry can sometimes bother them.

Core concept

It means directing a call toward someone so that the person pauses instead of continuing on.

Common phrases

  • 通行人を呼び止めるtsū kō nin o yo bi to me ru

    hail a passerby

  • 店員を呼び止めるten in o yo bi to me ru

    call out to a store clerk

Similar words

呼び掛けるyobikakeru: To address someone aloud, without necessarily making the person stop moving.
引き止めるhikitomeru: To persuade or ask someone to stay instead of leaving.
制止するseishisuru: To make a person stop an action or movement.

Definition in Japanese

通り過ぎようとする相手に声をかけて、足を止めさせること。tō ri su gi yō to su ru ai te ni koe o ka ke te ashi o to me sa se ru ko to

Word origin

呼び止める (yobitomeru) combines 呼ぶ (yobu, "call") and 止める (tomeru, "stop"); 呼び (yobi) is the continuative form of 呼ぶ.

Usage tips

  • English "call out to" can describe merely calling someone, while 呼び止める (yobitomeru) specifically describes calling in order to halt the person's movement.

Other meanings

  • stopverb
  • hailverb

Related words

  • 呼び止め方yobitomekataway to hailnoun

Word lists with this word