‘住宿’ (zhù sù) is a compound noun meaning ‘accommodation’ or ‘lodging’—the place where someone stays temporarily, such as during travel or study. It combines two characters with overlapping meanings: 住 (zhù) means ‘to live’ or ‘to stay’, and 宿 (sù) means ‘to lodge’ or ‘to spend the night’. Though each can stand alone in formal or literary contexts (e.g., 宿营 ‘camp’, 住宿费 ‘lodging fee’), together they form a standard, neutral term used widely in daily speech, signage, and official documents.

This word is commonly heard when booking hotels, arranging student housing, or discussing travel plans. It’s more general and formal than colloquial alternatives like ‘住的地方’ (where one lives/stays). While it implies overnight staying, it doesn’t specify type—could refer to hotels, hostels, homestays, dormitories, or even temporary shelters. It’s rarely used for permanent residence; for that, use 居住 (jū zhù) or 住在 (zhù zài).