Meaning and Usage
The noun '중단' refers to the act of stopping or interrupting an ongoing action or process temporarily or permanently. It is commonly used in formal and informal contexts to describe interruptions in events, work, or activities.
Common Contexts
You will often hear '중단' in situations involving delays or pauses such as construction work, meetings, games, or broadcasts. It implies that the activity is not finished but paused or halted.
Collocations and Patterns
- '중단되다' (to be interrupted/suspended): passive form used to describe something that has been stopped.
- '중단하다' (to interrupt/suspend): active verb form.
- '일시 중단' (temporary suspension): emphasizes that the interruption is not permanent.
- '중단 사유' (reason for interruption): used in formal explanations.
Register and Politeness
'중단' is a neutral noun and can be used in both formal and informal speech. When combined with verbs like '하다' or '되다', the politeness level depends on the verb ending.
Common Mistakes
Learners sometimes confuse '중단' with '중지', which also means 'stop' or 'suspension'. '중단' often implies a temporary or process-related interruption, while '중지' can imply a more definitive stop. Context will guide the correct choice.