Definition
扣留 means to detain a person or to confiscate goods, often temporarily by authorities. It is broader than 拘留 (formal police custody) and 扣押 (seizure with legal order), and less punitive than 没收 (confiscation as a penalty).
verb
to detainto hold (a person)to confiscateto impound (goods, documents)
Examples
- 扣留。Jǐngfāng kòu liú le sān míng fànzuì xiányírén.The police detained three criminal suspects.
- 扣留。Hǎiguān kòu liú le nà pī zǒusī huòwù.Customs confiscated that batch of smuggled goods.
- 扣留，。Nǐ de hùzhào bèi kòu liú le, xūyào qù lǐnghuí.Your passport has been held; you need to go retrieve it.
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