制止 (zhìzhǐ) means 'to stop or curb an action or situation' — it's a forceful, authoritative intervention, often by an authority figure or rule, to prevent something from continuing. It is stronger than 限制 (xiànzhì 'to restrict/limit') and 约束 (yuēshù 'to constrain by rules'), which imply setting boundaries rather than halting. 遏制 (èzhì) is closer but focuses on containing a trend or threat, while 制止 is more direct and immediate.