1An intransitive verb meaning to remain or stay in one place without moving on. Usually written in kana.
彼は卒業後も故郷にとどまることを決めた。
He decided to stay in his hometown even after graduating.
台風が過ぎるまで、しばらくこの町にとどまるつもりだ。
I plan to stay in this town for a while until the typhoon passes.
多くの住民が避難せず、危険な地域にとどまっていた。
Many residents did not evacuate and stayed in the dangerous area.
2To be limited to, confined to, or not go beyond a certain extent — typically used in the pattern 〜にとどまる. Often used to describe a limited scale or outcome.
今回の値上げは一部の商品にとどまる見込みだ。
This price increase is expected to be limited to just some products.
地震による被害は軽微にとどまり、大きな混乱はなかった。
The damage from the earthquake was limited to a minor level, and there was no major disruption.
彼の説明は表面的な内容にとどまっていて、詳細は分からなかった。
His explanation stayed at a surface level, and the details remained unclear.