‘寄宿’ is a verb meaning to live on campus or at a school-provided residence, typically during term time. It combines 寄 (jì), which conveys the idea of entrusting or lodging something temporarily, and 宿 (sù), meaning ‘to stay overnight’ or ‘lodging’. Together, they emphasize the arrangement where students reside at an institution rather than commuting daily.

This term is most commonly used in educational contexts—especially for middle schools, high schools, and some universities in China—where boarding is common. It implies formal enrollment in a residential program, often including meals and supervision. While ‘寄宿’ can technically describe staying anywhere temporarily, in everyday usage it almost always refers to school-based boarding. It’s distinct from general lodging (e.g., hotel stays), which uses words like ‘住宿’ (zhùsù). The noun form ‘寄宿生’ (jìsùshēng) means ‘boarding student’.