留 is also the simplified spelling of 㽞, 畱.
DICTIONARY · CC-CEDICT
留
Mandarin · pinyin liú
Meanings
- to leave (a message etc)
- to retain
- to stay
- to remain
- to keep
- to preserve
Characters in this entry
- 留
- liú · stop, halt; stay, detain, keep
Explore the spelling
Mandarin tones
2 · liu2
Compare attested words with these syllables ↗Dictionary tones. Connected speech can change their realization.
Connected dictionary
1character link45same-tone records
Counts describe dictionary records, not word frequency or semantic similarity. Source identities stay separate.Read this spelling in Classical texts
Follow a written form into the eight pinned witnesses: Analects, Mencius, Laozi, Zhuangzi, Xunzi, Han Feizi, Sunzi and the Mao Shijing. A match is a place to investigate; it does not prove that a modern dictionary sense fits the passage.
Compare dictionary sources Rime · Wiktionary
Rime Cantonese 粵拼
lau4
Cantonese word readings for 留. This lexicon supplies readings, not definitions.
CanCLID contributors · CC BY 4.0 · source & license · Data pack
Wiktionary English definitions · Chinese section
Independent source senses for this spelling, with usage labels retained. Not matched to the pronunciation above.
character
- to stay; to remain
- to ask someone to stay; to detain
- to keep; to save; to hold in reserve; to retain; to maintain
- to leave behind (a package, a message, an impression, etc.)
- (abbreviation, alt-of) short for 留學/留学 (liúxué, “to study abroad”)
- to accept (a gift)
- to allow to grow
- to concentrate (on something)
- (alt-of, alternative) alternative form of 流 (liú)
- a surname
character
- (archaic) to wait; to await
character
- (alt-of, alternative, name) Alternative name for 昴 (mǎo).
Source page · dump 2026-09-02 · Contributors & history
Wiktionary contributors · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source & license · Data pack