Traditional: 賸
shèng HSK 4

English Meaning

📚 Example Sentences

饭剩了一点。
Fàn shèngle yīdiǎn.
There's a little food left.
他剩了很多时间。
Tā shèngle hěnduō shíjiān.
He has a lot of time left.
只剩一个苹果。
Zhǐ shèng yī gè píngguǒ.
Only one apple remains.
还剩一点水。
Hái shèng yīdiǎn shuǐ.
There is still a little water left.
他剩了很多饭。
Tā shèngle hěnduō fàn.
He left a lot of rice.

💡 Memory Tip

Think of 剩 as 'leftover sheng' – imagine saying 'sheng' after a meal when you see food 'left over' on your plate. The character includes 刂 (knife) and 乘 (ride), so picture using a knife to cut what's left after everyone has 'ridden' away with their share.

📝 Usage Notes

This word is neutral in tone and commonly used in both spoken and written Chinese, across formal and informal contexts. It frequently appears in everyday situations like discussing leftovers (e.g., food), remaining resources (e.g., money, time), or surplus items. It can be used with numbers or quantities to specify what is left.

📖 Grammar Points

剩 is often used in structures like 'Subject + 剩 + (quantity) + object' (e.g., 我剩三块钱) or with adverbs like 只 (zhǐ, only) or 还 (hái, still) to emphasize the remaining amount. It can also be part of compound verbs like 剩下 (shèngxià, to be left over).

🏯 Cultural Notes

In Chinese culture, 剩 is associated with concepts like frugality and avoiding waste, especially with food (e.g., 剩菜剩饭, leftovers). It may carry a slight negative connotation in contexts like 剩女 (shèngnǚ, leftover women), a term sometimes used for unmarried women, reflecting social pressures, though this usage is controversial and declining.

🔄 Similar Words

Compared to 留 (liú, to leave behind or keep), 剩 emphasizes what remains after subtraction or use, often involuntarily, while 留 can imply intentional keeping or saving. For instance, 剩钱 is money left over, whereas 留钱 might mean saving money on purpose.

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