‘星宿’ (xīng xiù) refers to the twenty-eight lunar mansions — ancient Chinese constellations used for tracking the moon’s monthly path across the sky. Each mansion corresponds to a specific region of stars and is named after an animal or object, such as 角宿 (Jiǎo Xiù, 'Horn Mansion') or 心宿 (Xīn Xiù, 'Heart Mansion'). The character 星 means 'star' or 'celestial body', while 宿 means 'lodging' or 'dwelling place' — together they literally convey 'stars’ resting places', reflecting the belief that the moon 'stayed' in each mansion for about one day during its orbit.

This term appears primarily in classical Chinese astronomy, astrology, and traditional almanacs. Though no longer used in modern scientific astronomy, it remains culturally significant in literature, folklore, and feng shui. Some star names still retain their mansion associations, and certain animals (e.g., the Azure Dragon, Vermilion Bird) symbolize groups of mansions — hence its inclusion under the 'Animals' topic.