Usage note
留表示停在某处，也可以表示保留。
liú biǎo shì tíng zài mǒu chù， yě kě yǐ biǎo shì bǎo liú。
Stay means to remain in a place, and it can also mean keep.
Context note
留常出现在留下、留下来、留在这些词里。
liú cháng chū xiàn zài liú xià 、 liú xià lái 、 liú zài zhè xiē cí lǐ。
Stay often appears in words like leave behind, stay behind, and remain.
5 examples
请留下。
qǐng liú xià。
Please stay.
他留在家里。
tā liú zài jiā lǐ。
He stays at home.
我留下书。
wǒ liú xià shū。
I keep the book here.
留一点水。
liú yì diǎn shuǐ。
Leave a little water.
请把名字留下。
qǐng bǎ míng zì liú xià。
Please leave your name.
5 mini stories
放学后，我留在教室里做作业。
fàng xué hòu， wǒ liú zài jiào shì lǐ zuò zuò yè。
After school, I stayed in the classroom to do homework.
妈妈让我把一半苹果留下给妹妹。
mā ma ràng wǒ bǎ yí bàn píng guǒ liú xià gěi mèi mei。
Mom asked me to leave half the apple for my younger sister.
客人走的时候，留下了一张卡片。
kè rén zǒu de shí hòu， liú xià le yì zhāng kǎ piàn。
When the guest left, they left a card behind.
老师说好看的画可以留在墙上。
lǎo shī shuō hǎo kàn de huà kě yǐ liú zài qiáng shàng。
The teacher said nice drawings can stay on the wall.
我想把这个词记住，不会很快忘掉。
wǒ xiǎng bǎ zhè ge cí jì zhù， bú huì hěn kuài wàng diào。
I want to keep this word in mind and not forget it quickly.
Mini dialogue
留在学校
A
放学后你回家吗？
Fàngxué hòu nǐ huí jiā ma?
Do you go home after school?
B
不，我今天要留在学校画画。
Bù, wǒ jīntiān yào liú zài xuéxiào huà huà.
No, I need to stay at school to draw today.
留座位
A
我去拿点吃的，你能帮我留这个座位吗？
Wǒ qù ná diǎn chī de, nǐ néng bāng wǒ liú zhège zuòwèi ma?
I'm going to get some food, can you help me keep this seat?
B
好的，我帮你留着。
Hǎo de, wǒ bāng nǐ liú zhe.
Okay, I'll keep it for you.
Related words and contrasts
similar
待
dāi
to stay
Informal way to say stay in a place.
opposite
离开
lí kāi
to leave
Direct opposite of staying.
related
保存
bǎo cún
to keep
留 can also mean to keep or save something.