Meaning of 留
Definitions from CC-CEDICT.
- to leave (a message etc)
- to retain
- to stay
- to remain
- to keep
- to preserve
- old variant of 留[liu2]
- old variant of 留[liu2]
How to use 留
留 (liú) means to stay, to keep something, or to leave something behind for someone. It often pairs with other words, as in 留言 (liúyán, leave a message) and 留学 (liúxué, study abroad). Example: 请给我留一张票。(Qǐng gěi wǒ liú yì zhāng piào.) Please save a ticket for me.
Look at 留 (liú) as a top part sitting over 田 (tián, field) at the bottom. Think of a farmer who chooses to stay by his field and keep it, which links to the meanings "stay" and "keep."
Common mistake: Learners often use 留 when they mean "to leave a place." That meaning is 离开 (líkāi), so 我留了北京 is wrong for "I left Beijing," while 我留在北京 means "I stayed in Beijing." Also say 留 with a rising second tone. Do not confuse it with 流 (liú, to flow), which has the water radical.
留 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Stroke order for each character
Open a character for its meaning, components and more words.
留 liú · to leave · 10 strokes
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Related words
Words that share a character with 留.
| 留下 | liúxia | to leave behind; to stay behind |
| 留学生 | liúxuéshēng | student studying abroad; returned student; foreign student; international student |
| 保留 | bǎoliú | to keep; to retain |
| 留学 | liúxué | to study abroad |
| 停留 | tíngliú | to stay for a time; to stop; to remain; to remain (at a stage, level etc) |
| 留言 | liúyán | to leave a message; to leave one's comments; message |
| 留意 | liúyì | to be mindful; to pay attention to |
| 拘留 | jūliú | to detain (as a prisoner); to keep sb in custody |
| 收留 | shōuliú | to offer shelter; to have sb in one's care |
| 留心 | liúxīn | to be careful; to pay attention to |
| 残留 | cánliú | to remain; to be left over; residual; remnant |
| 扣留 | kòuliú | to detain sb; to hold sb against their will; to withhold (property, documents, funds etc) |
Questions about 留
What does 留 mean?
留 (liú) means "to leave (a message etc); to retain" and is used as a verb.
How do you write 留?
留 is made of 1 character: 留 (10 strokes). That is 10 strokes in total.
Is 留 an HSK word?
Yes. 留 is on the HSK 2 vocabulary list of the HSK 3.0 standard.
What is the difference between 留 and 留下?
留下 (liúxia) adds a sense of result, meaning something stays behind or someone ends up staying. 他留下了一封信 (He left a letter behind) sounds more natural than using 留 alone in that sentence.
Does 留学生 mean a student going abroad or a foreign student?
It can mean both. In China, 留学生 (liúxuéshēng) usually refers to international students studying in China. It can also describe Chinese students who study overseas or have come back.