留住

liúzhù

verb #8,415

Meanings

1 to keep; to retain; to hold on to
2 to get someone to stay

Characters

to stay; to keep; to leave behind

to live; to stop; (complement: firmly)

留 (keep) + 住 (firmly) — to keep something from leaving.

Examples

公司想留住优秀的员工。

Gōngsī xiǎng liúzhù yōuxiù de yuángōng.

The company wants to retain excellent employees.

我们留不住青春。

Wǒmen liú bú zhù qīngchūn.

We can't hold on to our youth.

他想留住她，但她还是走了。

Tā xiǎng liúzhù tā, dàn tā háishì zǒu le.

He wanted to get her to stay, but she still left.

Tips

grammar

住 here is a result complement meaning 'firmly, securely.' The pattern verb + 住 means to do something and hold it in place: 抓住 (grab and hold), 记住 (remember firmly), 留住 (keep/retain).

Stroke Order

留 liú

住 zhù