留恋

liúliàn

reluctant to leave

HSK 7

Character Breakdown

Meaning and Usage

The word 留恋 (liúliàn) expresses a strong emotional attachment or reluctance to leave a person, place, or time. It often conveys a sense of nostalgia or sentimental longing.

Common Contexts

留恋 is frequently used when talking about leaving a beloved place, such as a hometown or school, or when reminiscing about past experiences. It implies a deep emotional bond that makes parting difficult.

Collocations and Patterns

  • 留恋故乡 (liúliàn gùxiāng): reluctant to leave one's hometown, expressing homesickness.
  • 留恋 (liúliàn xiàoyuán): nostalgic about campus life.
  • 留恋过去 (liúliàn guòqù): sentimental about the past.

Nuances

Using 留恋 often suggests a bittersweet feeling—while the person values what they are leaving behind, they must move on. It is more emotional and poetic than simply saying 离开 (don't want to leave).

Common Confusion

Do not confuse 留恋 with (to stay behind) or (to keep). 留恋 focuses on emotional attachment, not physical action.

Example Sentences

他对故乡的山水非常留恋,不愿意离开。

Tā duì gùxiāng de shānshuǐ fēicháng liúliàn, bù yuànyì líkāi.

He is very reluctant to leave the mountains and rivers of his hometown.

毕业典礼结束后,学生们依依不舍地留恋校园生活。

Bìyè diǎnlǐ jiéshù hòu, xuéshēngmen yīyī bù shě de liúliàn xiàoyuán

After the graduation ceremony, the students reluctantly cherish their campus

她留恋那段美好的时光,经常回忆起过去的日子。

Tā liúliàn nà duàn měihǎo de shíguāng, jīngcháng huíyì qǐ guòqù de rìzi.

She is nostalgic about those wonderful times and often recalls the past