1.
leftovers; leftover food
Food that remains uneaten after a meal. The most common usage.
残り物を温めた。
I heated up the leftovers.
昨日の残り物で昼ご飯にした。
I had yesterday's leftovers for lunch.
冷蔵庫の残り物を使って何か作ろう。
Let's make something using the leftovers in the fridge.
2.
remainder; things left over
Items remaining after the main selection has been taken. Can imply lesser quality or being unwanted.
残り物には福がある。
Good things come to those who wait. (Literally: There is fortune in leftovers.)
A well-known proverb.
セールの残り物だけど、いい品が見つかった。
They were just leftovers from the sale, but I found a good item.
人気の商品はすぐ売れて、残り物しかなかった。
The popular products sold out quickly, and only the leftovers remained.
残り物 most commonly refers to leftover food from a meal but can also mean anything remaining after the main selection has been taken.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 残り物を温める: to heat up leftovers
- 残り物を片付ける: to clean up/put away leftovers
- 残り物で済ませる: to make do with leftovers
PROVERB:
残り物には福がある — "There is fortune in leftovers." Encourages patience, suggesting that good things come to those who don't rush to grab the first choice.
NUANCE:
When referring to non-food items, 残り物 can imply something unwanted or of lesser quality — the items nobody else picked.
RELATED WORDS:
- 残り: remainder, what's left
- 食べ残し: uneaten food, food waste
- 余り物: surplus, extra items