留守

• Reading: るす
• Romaji: rusu
• Kanji breakdown: 留 (ryuu/ru/to) — stay, detain; 守 (shu/su/mamo) — guard, protect
• Pronunciation: /ɾɯ.sɯ/

Meaning

Absence from home; being away; not at home. Describes the state of no one being at a residence.

A noun that can also function as a する verb (留守にする, to be away from home). Frequently appears in 留守番 (rusuban, house-sitting), 留守番電話 (answering machine), and the expression 留守にする (to be out). Common in daily conversation about visits and deliveries.

Examples

1. 友達の家に行ったが留守だった。 I went to my friend's house, but nobody was home.
2. 留守の間にたくさん荷物が届きました。 A lot of packages arrived while I was away.
3. 母が留守番電話にメッセージを残していた。 My mom left a message on the answering machine.

Usage Guide

Context: home, delivery, visiting

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

Compound of 留 (stay, detain) and 守 (guard, protect). Paradoxically means guarding while staying behind, originally referring to those who stayed to guard a castle while the lord was away.

Cultural Context

Era: Classical

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal