Chinese word

滞留

Pronunciation

Pinyinzhì liú

Meaning

  • verbstay

Example

滞留在机场的旅客很多。zhì liú zài jī chǎng de lǚ kè hěn duō

Many passengers are staying at the airport.

Illustration for 滞留 (stay)

More examples

由于恶劣天气，货物在港口滞留了三天。yóu yú è liè tiān qì huò wù zài gáng kǒu zhì liú le sān tiān

Because of bad weather, the cargo remained at the port for three days.

Core concept

An outside obstacle interrupts a journey or process and keeps its people or contents from moving forward.

Common phrases

  • 滞留在机场zhì liú zài jī chǎng

    remain at the airport

  • 滞留在海关zhì liú zài hǎi guān

    remain at customs

  • 滞留期间zhì liú qī jiān

    during the stay

Similar words

停留tíng liú: Stop moving or acting for a while and remain in the same place.
逗留dòu liú: Stay in a place for a short time, usually while visiting or passing through.
停滞tíng zhì: Stop progressing or flowing, with little or no change.

Definition in Chinese

被暂时扣留或被迫停下；侧重因事故、检查、恶劣天气等外部原因而停留。bèi zàn shí kòu liú huò bèi pò tíng xià cè zhòng yīn shì gù jiǎn chá è liè tiān qì děng wài bù yuán yīn ér tíng liú

Word origin

滞 (zhì, "to become blocked") + 留 (liú, "to stay") presents continued presence as the result of a stopped flow, rather than a chosen pause.

Usage tips

  • English stay often allows a voluntary choice, but this word usually signals that an accident, inspection, or weather problem prevents departure.

Other meanings

  • being strandednoun
  • stagnateverb

Opposites

Related words

  • 滞留者zhì liú zhěperson who stays behindnoun

Word lists with this word