留 from HSK Level 2 Vocabulary List

The Chinese character 留 (liú) is composed of two parts: the radical 糸 (mì) and the phonetic component 留 (liú). The radical 糸 originally meant "silk" or "thread," and it is often used in characters related to textiles, clothing, and writing. The phonetic component 留 is a simplified form of the character 纟 (liú), which means "to bind" or "to tie."The combination of the radical 糸 and the phonetic component 留 creates the character 留, which means "to stay," "to remain," or "to leave behind." This character is often used in contexts related to travel, residence, and education. For example, the phrase 留学生 (liúxuéshēng) means "international student," and the phrase 留守 (liúshǒu) means "to stay behind" or "to guard."The character 留 can also be used in a more abstract sense to mean "to retain" or "to preserve." For example, the phrase 留住 (liújù) means "to keep" or "to hold onto," and the phrase 留念 (liúniàn) means "to cherish" or "to remember."Overall, the character 留 is a versatile character with a rich history and a variety of meanings. It is an important character for HSK learners to master, as it is used in a wide range of contexts.