Readings: リュウ, ル (Onyomi), と-める, と-まる, とど-める, とど-まる (Kunyomi)
Meaning: to stop, to detain, to stay, to keep
The character 留 (ryū) is a semantic-phonetic compound. The left part is composed of 卯 (う) which represents a door or gateway, and 田 (た) which often signifies an enclosed space or field. Together, these elements suggest something being held or contained within an area. The right part, 刀 (かたな), meaning “knife” or “sword,” acts as a phonetic component providing the ‘ryū’ sound and reinforces the idea of holding or restraining. Historically, it is thought to depict a bird (represented by 卯, as it also means the fourth earthly branch, often associated with birds) caught in a trap (田), with a knife implying its detention or stopping. This combination conveys the meanings of “to stop,” “to detain,” “to stay,” or “to keep.”
View JLPT N3 Kanji ListHow to Write – Stroke Order
The kanji 留 has 10 strokes. It starts with the top left component, then the enclosed area, followed by the right-side radical.
Kanji Details
| Radical | 田 |
|---|---|
| Strokes | 10 |
| JLPT Level | N3 |
| Grade | 5 |
Readings with English Transcription
Onyomi (Chinese readings)
- リュウ (RYŪ)
- ル (RU)
Kunyomi (Japanese readings)
- と.める (to.meru)
- と.まる (to.maru)
- とど.める (todo.meru)
- とど.まる (todo.maru)
Common Words Using 留
Onyomi Readings
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 留学 | りゅうがく | studying abroad |
| 留守 | るす | absence; being away from home |
| 保留 | ほりゅう | reservation; suspension; pending |
| 停留所 | ていりゅうじょ | bus stop |
| 残留 | ざんりゅう | remaining; lingering |
| 留年 | りゅうねん | repeating a school year; being held back |
| 滞留 | たいりゅう | stagnation; remaining (of water, air, etc.) |
| 留学先 | りゅうがくさき | destination for studying abroad |
| 留保 | りゅうほ | reservation (e.g., of a right); proviso |
| 留置 | りゅうち | custody; detention |
Kunyomi Readings
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 留める | とめる | to fasten; to pin; to keep in place |
| 留まる | とまる | to stay; to perch; to stop (intransitive) |
| 書き留める | かきとめる | to write down; to make a note of |
| 引き留める | ひきとめる | to detain; to hold back |
| 食い止める | くいとめる | to check; to halt; to prevent |
| 心に留める | こころにとどめる | to bear in mind; to keep in one’s heart |
| 目に留まる | めにとまる | to catch one’s eye; to be noticed |
| 留め金 | とめがね | clasp; fastener |
| 留め具 | とめぐ | clasp; fastener |
| 留め針 | とめばり | pin; drawing pin |
Example Sentences
Japanese: 彼は来年からアメリカへ留学します。
Kana: かれはらいねんからアメリカへりゅうがくします。
Romaji: Kare wa rainen kara Amerika e ryūgaku shimasu.
English: He will study abroad in America from next year.
Japanese: 留守中に荷物が届きました。
Kana: るすちゅうににもつがとどきました。
Romaji: Rusu-chū ni nimotsu ga todokimashita.
English: A package arrived while I was out.
Japanese: 大切なことは心に留めておきましょう。
Kana: たいせつなことはこころにとどめておきましょう。
Romaji: Taisetsu na koto wa kokoro ni todomete okimashō.
English: Let’s keep important things in mind.
Japanese: その鳥は電線に留まっている。
Kana: そのとりはでんせんにとまっている。
Romaji: Sono tori wa densen ni tomatteiru.
English: That bird is perching on the electric wire.
Japanese: 彼は引き留められたが、それでも去っていった。
Kana: かれはひきとどめられたが、それでもさっていった。
Romaji: Kare wa hikitodomerareta ga, sore demo satte itta.
English: He was held back, but he still left.
Japanese: メモに電話番号を書き留めた。
Kana: めもにでんわばんごうをかきとめた。
Romaji: Memo ni denwa bangō o kakitometeita.
English: I wrote down the phone number in my memo.
Japanese: 髪の毛をピンで留める。
Kana: かみのけをぴんでとめる。
Romaji: Kaminoke o pin de tomeru.
English: To fasten one’s hair with a pin.
Japanese: 洪水を食い止めるために堤防を作った。
Kana: こうずいをくいとめるためにていぼうをつくった。
Romaji: Kōzui o kuitomeru tame ni teibō o tsukutta.
English: We built a levee to prevent the flood.
Japanese: この書類は保留にしてください。
Kana: このしょるいはほりゅうにしてください。
Romaji: Kono shorui wa horyū ni shite kudasai.
English: Please put this document on hold.
Japanese: 彼は同じ学年にもう一年留年した。
Kana: かれはおなじがくねんにもういちねんりゅうねんした。
Romaji: Kare wa onaji gakunen ni mō ichinen ryūnen shita.
English: He repeated the same grade for another year.
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