<p>I would translate 留(at least in this context), as to "sojourn," rather than to "stay."</p>

<p>Then 留学 would mean to "sojourn and study," or "study abroad."</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-08-20T05:44:10.547Z
Is there some independent reason for your doing so?
Stumpy Joe Pete
CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-08-18T00:34:08.880Z
2012-08-18T00:34:08.880Z
Tom Au
<p>The answer is in this article:
<a href="http://www.dic123.com/A/D/D9/D9D_15223.html">从"出洋"、"游学"到"留学"——晚清"留学"词源考</a></p>

<p>It is really a complicated history, but in short: During the Tang Dynasty Japanse students came to China to study. These were called 留学生 in Japan. During the Late Qing Dynasty 留学 was taken over in China and became more and more popular.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-08-17T03:44:45.823Z
Thanks for the great answer. This was exactly the sort of explanation I was looking for (and with a reference to boot)!
Stumpy Joe Pete
CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-08-15T17:55:20.477Z
2012-08-15T18:54:09.373Z
2012-08-15T18:54:09.373Z
BertR
<p>I'm sure like many students of Chinese, my first encounter with the character <code>留</code> was in the word <code>留学</code>, meaning "to study abroad".</p>

<p>Some time later I encountered <code>留</code> as an independent word, meaning "to stay". Most of the compounds with <code>留</code> are consistent with that meaning (<code>停留</code>, <code>保留</code>, etc.). However, <code>留学</code> doesn't really make a lot of sense as "stay" + "study". The dictionary was not very helpful, as it listed <code>留学</code> as a (presumably obvious) example of <code>留</code> meaning "to stay in a place".</p>

<p>Could someone proffer an explanation as to how "staying a place studying" came to mean "study abroad" as opposed to, say, "going to boarding school"? Perhaps someone knows something the history of either Chinese education and/or the usage of the word <code>留学</code>?</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-08-16T07:25:06.407Z
You can take it to mean `留在海外学习` or staying abroad to study.
杨以轩
<mandarin><etymology>
留学: Why the use of "留"?
# 留学: Why the use of "留"?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2012-08-15)

I'm sure like many students of Chinese, my first encounter with the character `留` was in the word `留学`, meaning "to study abroad".

Some time later I encountered `留` as an independent word, meaning "to stay". Most of the compounds with `留` are consistent with that meaning (`停留`, `保留`, etc.). However, `留学` doesn't really make a lot of sense as "stay" + "study". The dictionary was not very helpful, as it listed `留学` as a (presumably obvious) example of `留` meaning "to stay in a place".

Could someone proffer an explanation as to how "staying a place studying" came to mean "study abroad" as opposed to, say, "going to boarding school"? Perhaps someone knows something the history of either Chinese education and/or the usage of the word `留学`?

**Tags:** mandarin, etymology

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: You can take it to mean `留在海外学习` or staying abroad to study.  

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## 2 answers

### Answer by username_3 on 2012-08-15. Score: 10 | Accepted answer

The answer is in this article:
[从"出洋"、"游学"到"留学"——晚清"留学"词源考](http://www.dic123.com/A/D/D9/D9D_15223.html)

It is really a complicated history, but in short: During the Tang Dynasty Japanse students came to China to study. These were called 留学生 in Japan. During the Late Qing Dynasty 留学 was taken over in China and became more and more popular.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: Thanks for the great answer. This was exactly the sort of explanation I was looking for (and with a reference to boot)!  

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### Answer by username_2 on 2012-08-18. Score: 1

I would translate 留(at least in this context), as to "sojourn," rather than to "stay."

Then 留学 would mean to "sojourn and study," or "study abroad."

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: Is there some independent reason for your doing so?  

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