Usage note
留下表示把东西保留，或不离开。
liú xià biǎo shì bǎ dōng xī bǎo liú， huò bù lí kāi。
Leave behind means to keep something, or not leave.
Context note
留下常出现在记住、保存和离开前后。
liú xià cháng chū xiàn zài jì zhù 、 bǎo cún hé lí kāi qián hòu。
Leave behind often appears in remembering, saving, and before or after leaving.
5 examples
请留下名字。
qǐng liú xià míng zì。
Please leave your name.
他留下来了。
tā liú xià lái le。
He stayed behind.
把这张纸留下。
bǎ zhè zhāng zhǐ liú xià。
Keep this paper.
留下一个问题。
liú xià yí gè wèn tí。
Leave one question.
我留下礼物。
wǒ liú xià lǐ wù。
I leave the gift here.
5 mini stories
客人离开前，留下了一张小卡片。
kè rén lí kāi qián， liú xià le yì zhāng xiǎo kǎ piàn。
Before leaving, the guest left a small card.
妈妈让我把好看的照片留下。
mā ma ràng wǒ bǎ hǎo kàn de zhào piàn liú xià。
Mom asked me to keep the nice photo.
老师说把名字留下，方便以后联系。
lǎo shī shuō bǎ míng zì liú xià， fāng biàn yǐ hòu lián xì。
The teacher said to leave the name so it is easy to contact later.
他留下来帮忙，大家都很感谢他。
tā liú xià lái bāng máng， dà jiā dōu hěn gǎn xiè tā。
He stayed behind to help, and everyone thanked him.
我想把这次活动留下好记忆。
wǒ xiǎng bǎ zhè cì huó dòng liú xià hǎo jì yì。
I want to keep good memories of this event.
Mini dialogue
在图书馆
A
你可以把这本书留下吗？我明天还想看。
Nǐ kěyǐ bǎ zhè běn shū liú xià ma? Wǒ míngtiān hái xiǎng kàn.
Can you leave this book behind? I still want to read it tomorrow.
B
好的，我把它留在桌子上。
Hǎo de, wǒ bǎ tā liú zài zhuōzi shàng.
Okay, I'll leave it on the table.
告别
A
你要走了吗？请留下你的联系方式。
Nǐ yào zǒu le ma? Qǐng liú xià nǐ de liánxì fāngshì.
Are you leaving? Please leave your contact information.
B
好的，我留下我的电话号码。
Hǎo de, wǒ liú xià wǒ de diànhuà hàomǎ.
Okay, I'll leave my phone number.
Related words and contrasts
contrast
离开
lí kāi
to leave
离开 means to leave a place; 留下 means to stay or leave something behind.
similar
保留
bǎo liú
to keep, retain
保留 is more formal, often used for keeping rights or traditions.