残す

• Reading: のこす
• Romaji: nokosu
• Kanji breakdown: 残 (nokosu/zan) — leave behind, remain, save
• Pronunciation: /no.ko.sɯ/

Meaning

To leave behind; to save; to reserve. To keep something remaining without using or consuming it.

A Group 1 (godan) transitive verb conjugated with the す row. The transitive pair of 残る (to remain). Used for leaving food (ご飯を残す), leaving a legacy (記録を残す), saving something for later, and keeping people behind. Carries nuance of intentionality — the subject chooses to leave something.

Examples

1. 食べきれなくて半分残してしまった。 I couldn't finish it all, so I left half of it.
2. 大事な記録を後世に残すべきだ。 We should preserve important records for future generations.
3. 子供のためにケーキを一つ残しておいた。 I saved one piece of cake for my child.

Usage Guide

Context: daily life, food, legacy

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

From Old Japanese. The kanji 残 combines 歹 (death/bone radical) and a phonetic component, originally suggesting leftover bones — what remains after consumption.

Cultural Context

Era: Ancient

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal