How to say "remaining" in Japanese

• ままJLPT N4approx.Common
  noun, adverbCovers remaining in a state, as it is, unchanged. It points to a condition kept the same rather than an object left over, as in leaving a door open or continuing as things were.
  町まちは昔むかしのままだった。↗

  The town was exactly the same as before.
• 残留ざんりゅうCommon
  suru verb, intransitive verb, no-adjectiveRefers to something that stays behind, remaining or residual, typically a substance, residue, or group physically left in a place after the rest has gone.
• 居座りいすわりCommon
  nounMeans remaining in the sense of staying put, especially a person staying on somewhere, often where they were expected to leave or move on. A somewhat narrow usage.
• 残存ざんぞんCommon
  noun, suru verb, intransitive verbCovers remaining as survival or being extant, something left in existence after others have perished or disappeared. Suits what remains of structures, species, or traditions.
• 留めとめCommon
  noun, suffixOnly matches remaining in the poste-restante sense, mail held at an office for collection. For nearly any other sense of remaining, this is not the word you want.

Use 「まま」 for a state left unchanged, 残留 for something physically staying behind, 残存 for surviving or being extant, 「居座り」 for a person staying on where expected to leave, and 「留め」 for poste-restante mail.

Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only

• ままas (it is)
• 残留ざんりゅうstaying behind
• 居座りいすわりremaining
• 残存ざんぞんsurvival
• 余よother
• 残ったのこったremaining
• 残んののこんのremaining
• 留めとめremaining (e.g. poste-restante)
• っきりcontinuously
• きりcontinuously