留住 (liú zhù) — to keep (someone) from leaving; to stay overnight

Definition

A verb that focuses on holding someone or something back so they do not leave — e.g. keeping a guest, an employee, or a memory — rather than just staying somewhere yourself.

verb
to keep (someone) from leavingto stay overnight

Examples

  • 留住。
    Tā rè qíng dì liú zhù kè rén chī fàn.
    He warmly kept the guest for dinner.
  • 留住。
    Zuó wǎn wǒ zài péng you jiā liú zhù le.
    Last night I stayed overnight at a friend's house.
  • 留住。
    Gōng sī xiǎng liú zhù zhè wèi yōu xiù yuán gōng.
    The company wants to keep this excellent employee.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
补充bǔchōngVerb + complement

An action followed by its result or direction.

留liúkeep
住zhùstay; secure

留 gives keep and 住 gives stay or secure, so the word means to keep someone staying.

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
田田tiánfield
Sound part声符shēngfú
卯
卯mǎo留liú
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 →

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
亻Written in full as人rén
Sound part声符shēngfú
主
主zhǔ住zhù
Same sound today

住 pairs 亻, the person radical (written fully as 人), with 主, which supplies the sound.

Open 住 →

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