残します（のこします、nokoshimasu）
- to leave (something)

The Japanese verb 残します (のこします) primarily means "to leave," "to leave behind," "to save," "to spare," or "to omit." It implies keeping something in a remaining state, whether it's a physical object, a feeling, or information. The nuances of its meaning depend on the context. The base form of this verb is 残る (のこる), which means "to remain" or "to be left." 残します is the causative form of 残る.

⚫︎食べ物を少し残します。 Translation: I'll leave a little food. ⚫︎宿題を明日に残します。 Translation: I will leave the homework for tomorrow. ⚫︎彼は深い傷跡を心に残しました。 Translation: He left a deep scar in my heart.

⚫︎You would use 残します in situations where you want to indicate that something is being kept, spared, or left over. ⚫︎It's common when talking about food, tasks, memories, or any element that is not completely used or taken. ⚫︎It can also mean to "omit" or "leave out," such as leaving a part of a document or a step in a process. ⚫︎The subject of the sentence usually performs the action of 残す. ⚫︎The verb often takes a direct object that is being 残された.

⚫︎The word is typically written in kanji as 残します. ⚫︎The reading in hiragana is のこします. ⚫︎The okurigana (hiragana attached to the kanji to clarify the meaning and conjugation) is consistently します. ⚫︎The verb conjugates regularly: 残さない (negative), 残した (past), 残せば (conditional). The other conjugations follow a regular pattern based on the stem 残し. ⚫︎Other forms derived from it include 残された (passive/ "left"), 残し方 ("how to leave"), and 残り ("remainder," "leftovers").

⚫︎置く (おく): to put, to leave (often used for physical objects) ⚫︎留める (とめる): to keep, to retain ⚫︎省く (はぶく): to omit, to leave out ⚫︎残る (のこる): to remain (the intransitive form, indicating something is left) ⚫︎余す (あます): to leave over, to spare, to have remaining (more formal)

⚫︎使う (つかう): to use ⚫︎食べる (たべる): to eat ⚫︎捨てる (すてる): to throw away, to discard ⚫︎消す (けす): to erase, to delete

お皿に食べ物を 残さないでください。 ・Translation: Please don't leave any food on your plate. ・Explanation: This sentence uses 残す to tell someone not to leave food uneaten, indicating they should finish what they have.

彼女は私たちに良い思い出をたくさん 残しました。 ・Translation: She left us with many good memories. ・Explanation: This sentence uses 残す to refer to leaving behind memories, implying they are a lasting impression.

The verb 残す (のこす) originates from the verb 残る (のこる), meaning "to remain" or "to be left." 残す is the causative form of 残る, indicating that someone or something *causes* something to remain. The kanji 残 itself contains the meaning of "remaining" or "remaining portion."