留下 (liú xia) — to leave (something/someone) behind; to stay behind; to remain

Definition

留下 means to leave something behind (a message, impression, or object) or to stay behind in a place. Unlike 留, it emphasizes a completed action that leaves a trace or residue; 剩 focuses on what is left over after the rest is gone.

verb
to leave (something/someone) behindto stay behindto remain

Examples

  • 留下
    Qǐng liú xia nǐ de dì zhǐ.
    Please leave your address.
  • 留下
    Tā gěi wǒ liú xia le hěn shēn de yìn xiàng.
    He left a deep impression on me.
  • 留下
    Mā ma liú xia le hěn duō shū.
    Mom left a lot of books.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
补充bǔchōngVerb + complement

An action followed by its result or direction.

liúleave

The action of 留 (leave) is completed with 下 (down/behind).

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
tiánfield
Sound part声符shēngfú
mǎoliú
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

留 combines 田 (field) with 卯, which gives the sound.

Open 留 →

An abstract idea shown by a mark or a diagram rather than by a picture of an object.

下 is drawn as a short horizontal line below a long curved line.

Open 下 →

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