留(とど)まる

とどまる
verb (godan)
to stay, to remain; to be limited to
1. to stay, to remain in place
To stay where one is without moving away. Can refer to a physical location or a state.
彼(かれ)は国(くに)に留(とど)まることにした。
He decided to stay in the country.
その記憶(きおく)はいつまでも心(こころ)に留(とど)まっている。
That memory remains in my heart forever.
危(あぶ)ないから、ここに留(とど)まっていなさい。
It's dangerous, so stay here.
2. to be limited to, to not exceed
Used to express that something stays within a certain scope or limit and does not go further.
被害(ひがい)は最小限(さいしょうげん)に留(とど)まった。
The damage was kept to a minimum.
参加者(さんかしゃ)は十人(じゅうにん)に留(とど)まった。
The number of participants was limited to ten.
景気(けいき)回復(かいふく)は一部(いちぶ)の業種(ぎょうしゅ)に留(とど)まっている。
Economic recovery is limited to certain industries.

留(とど)まる expresses staying in a place or being limited to a scope.

TRANSITIVITY:

  • Type: Intransitive (自動詞(じどうし))
  • Transitive pair: 留(とど)める (to keep, to hold back)

ASPECT (ている):

  • 留(とど)まっている: is staying, remains (ongoing state)

COMMON PATTERNS:

  • 〜に留(とど)まる: to stay at ~, to be limited to ~
  • 最小限(さいしょうげん)に留(とど)まる: to be kept to a minimum
  • 心(こころ)に留(とど)まる: to remain in one's heart
  • 記憶(きおく)に留(とど)まる: to remain in memory

KANJI NOTE: Can also be written as 止(とど)まる or 停(とど)まる, but 留(とど)まる is most common for both senses.

Related Words

Pair verb: 留(とど)める (transitive)
general
Added 2026.2.7 19:28 · Revised 2026.2.19 21:42
10000/10415_todomaru