留学 (liúxué) · to study abroad

留学 (liúxué) means “to study abroad”. It is written with 2 characters: 留 (to leave (behind)) + 学 (to study). It is an HSK 3 word in the current exam syllabus (2025).

How 留学 is built

The characters

留 liú · to leave (behind)

What 留 is made of

卯mǎo — 4th terrestrial branch
- 卩jié — seal
  - 丨 — vertical stroke
田tián — field
- 冂 — frame
  - 丨 — vertical stroke
- 土tǔ — earth
  - 十 — ten
  - 一 — horizontal stroke

学 xué · to study

What 学 is made of

⺍ — three-stroke
冖mì — cover
子zǐ — child
- 了liǎo / le — finish
  - 乛 — bent stroke
  - 亅 — hook
- 一 — horizontal stroke

Origin hint: A building 冖 where children 子 study; ⺍ provides the pronunciation (from the Make Me a Hanzi dataset; treat as a memory aid where history is uncertain)

Example sentences

我哥哥在中国留学。Wǒ gēge zài Zhōngguó liúxué.My older brother is studying in China.

你想去哪个国家留学？Nǐ xiǎng qù nǎge guójiā liúxué?Which country do you want to study abroad in?

Questions about 留学

What does 留学 mean?

留学 (liúxué) means “to study abroad”.

How do you pronounce 留学?

留学 is pronounced liúxué.

Which HSK level is 留学?

留学 is in HSK 3 (exam 2025) and HSK 3 (2021) and Old HSK 3.

Related words

Learn 留学 with its group

It is part of HSK 3 (2021) · Group 69: a short group with quick checks and spaced repeats.

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