Simplify the following text for a Grade 8 native English-speaking person.
Original: However , it is postulated by some that the pronunciation for this character became a taboo on ships because it sounded either the same or similar to the word meaning `` to stop '' ( ä 1\/2 ) in many Chinese languages .
Simplified: However , zhÃ became a taboo on ships because it sounded the same as another word meaning `` to stop '' ( ä 1\/2 ) .