留 meaning and stroke order
To leave (a message etc); to retain; to stay
How to write 留, stroke by stroke
10 strokes in order. Each box adds the next stroke in red. Write top to bottom and left to right, and finish enclosing strokes last.
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8
- 9
- 10
Meaning of 留
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- to leave (a message etc)
- to retain
- to stay
- to remain
- to keep
- to preserve
How 留 is built
Components of the character.
Radical: 田 (field), shared by 46 characters on this site.
How to remember 留
留 is built from 卯 (mǎo) on top of 田 (tián, field). Picture something tied down above a field so it stays in place, and you have the idea of staying or keeping.
留 means to stay, to keep, or to leave something behind for someone. It appears in many everyday words like 留学 (liúxué, to study abroad), 留言 (liúyán, to leave a message), and 保留 (bǎoliú, to retain). Example: 请给我留个言。(Qǐng gěi wǒ liú ge yán.) Please leave me a message.
Common mistake: Learners often write the top part as two plain 口 shapes or mix it up with 卵 (luǎn, egg). The top of 留 is 卯, with a left part and a right part that do not touch, and it sits on 田. Also keep the rising second tone in liú.
Common words with 留
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 留下 | liúxia | to leave behind; to stay behind | HSK 2 |
| 留学生 | liúxuéshēng | student studying abroad; returned student; foreign student; international student | HSK 2 |
| 保留 | bǎoliú | to keep; to retain | HSK 3 |
| 留学 | liúxué | to study abroad | HSK 3 |
| 停留 | tíngliú | to stay for a time; to stop; to remain; to remain (at a stage, level etc) | HSK 5 |
| 留言 | liúyán | to leave a message; to leave one's comments; message | HSK 6 |
| 留意 | liúyì | to be mindful; to pay attention to | HSK 7-9 |
| 拘留 | jūliú | to detain (as a prisoner); to keep sb in custody | HSK 7-9 |
| 收留 | shōuliú | to offer shelter; to have sb in one's care | HSK 7-9 |
| 留心 | liúxīn | to be careful; to pay attention to | HSK 7-9 |
| 残留 | cánliú | to remain; to be left over; residual; remnant | HSK 7-9 |
| 扣留 | kòuliú | to detain sb; to hold sb against their will; to withhold (property, documents, funds etc) | HSK 7-9 |
| 留神 | liúshén | to take care; to be careful | HSK 7-9 |
| 留恋 | liúliàn | reluctant to leave; to hate to have to go | HSK 7-9 |
留 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Characters that contain 留
Learning 留 makes these easier to recognize and write.
Questions about 留
How many strokes are in 留?
留 is written with 10 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 留 mean?
留 (liú) means to leave (a message etc); to retain; to stay. A common word with it is 留下 (liúxia), meaning "to leave behind; to stay behind".
How do you pronounce 留?
留 is pronounced liú, in the second tone (rising).
What is the radical of 留?
The radical of 留 is 田, which carries the idea of "field". Dictionaries list 留 under this radical.
What is the traditional form of 留?
The traditional form of 留 is 㽞 and 畱. Traditional characters are used in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau; 留 is the simplified form used in mainland China and Singapore.
Is 留 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 留 is part of the HSK 2 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard, and you are expected to write it by hand from HSK 2.
What is the difference between 留 and 住 when talking about staying?
住 (zhù) means to live or lodge somewhere, like 住在北京 (zhù zài Běijīng, live in Beijing). 留 means to stay behind or remain rather than leave, as in 他留下来了 (tā liú xiàlai le, he stayed behind).
Does 留学生 only mean a foreign student in China?
No. 留学生 (liúxuéshēng) means any student studying abroad. In China it often refers to international students, but a Chinese person studying in another country is also a 留学生.