站住

You usually shout this or say it firmly. It is almost always a command. You can use it when someone is walking away from a conversation. You can use it if someone is about to walk into a puddle. It is very common in movies when police chase a suspect. In daily life, it is less about 'arrests' and more about 'hey, wait up!' Just don't use it on your boss unless they are about to walk off a cliff.

Use it when you need immediate physical stillness. It works great when playing tag with friends. It is perfect when you see a child running toward a busy street. You might hear it at a security checkpoint. If you are joking around, you can say it with a smile. It is very effective for getting someone's attention quickly. It is the fastest way to freeze a situation.

Never use this in a polite business meeting to ask someone to stop talking. That would be incredibly rude. Do not use it to ask a taxi driver to pull over. For that, use 停车. Avoid using it with elders unless there is an emergency. It is a command, not a polite request. Using it on a first date might result in a second date never happening.

In Chinese culture, direct commands are usually reserved for those with authority. However, 站住 has a cinematic flair. Everyone grows up hearing it in Kung Fu movies or police dramas. It carries a sense of drama and urgency. In the past, it was a very serious military or guard command. Today, it is mostly used for safety or playful shouting among peers.

You might hear 给我站住. Adding 给我 (give me) makes it much more aggressive. It translates to 'Stop right there for me!' Another variation is 站稳, which means 'stand steadily' so you don't fall. If you want to be polite, you would say 请等一下 instead. 站住 is the 'action movie' version of stopping.