(liú yán) - to leave a message; a message, a comment in Mandarin
liúyánTraditional: 留言
Translation
to leave a message; a message, a comment
Word origin
A compound of 留 (liú, to leave behind, to remain) and 言 (yán, words, speech), so words left behind for someone.
- Origin
- compound
- Root
- 留 (liú, to leave behind) + 言 (yán, words)
Stroke order
留
言
Examples
，。
He is not in, you can leave a message.
。
I left a comment on his website.
。
Please leave a message after the tone.
。
She saw my message.
？
Has anyone left you a message?
留言 covers everything from a note stuck to the fridge to a voicemail to a comment under a video. Online it is the ordinary word for a posted comment, which is why 留言板 is a message board and 留言区 is the comments section.
It is a separable verb: 留 is the verb and 言 is really its object. So aspect markers and measure words go inside, not after. You say 留了言 and 留个言, not 留言了个. Beginners routinely get this wrong because the two characters look like one solid word.
It also works straightforwardly as a noun, as in 我的留言 for my message, and that use needs no splitting at all. If you want to say leave a message for a specific person, put them in with 给: 给他留言.
Where this fits
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留言: worksheet, infographic and listicle
Free printable study downloads for the Mandarin word "留言" (to leave a message; a message, a comment): a worksheet with the answer key built in, an infographic, and a sentence listicle. Open any one to view, print or save.
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Start your free weekThis word is part of lesson 43.