Definitions

(verb) lodge; stay overnight
(adjective) old; former
xiǔ (noun) night
xiù (noun) constellation

Etymology

Depicts a person () sleeping on a bamboo mat () under a roof ().

About

The character 宿 combines the roof radical 宀 at the top with the person radical 亻 and the component 百, which means a hundred and also provides phonetic guidance. This structure, a roof sheltering a person, directly conveys the original meaning of lodging or staying overnight. From this sense of resting in a specific place, the meaning extended to astronomy, denoting constellations or stellar mansions where celestial bodies like the moon and planets appear to pause. The idea of remaining overnight further led to extended meanings involving the long-standing, predestined, or things carried over from a past life. The roof radical unifies these meanings around the core concept of a sheltered resting place.

Etymology Hide

Oracle etymology image
Oracle (~1250-1000 BC)
Oracle etymology image
Oracle (~1250-1000 BC)
Bronze etymology image
Bronze Mid Western Zhou (~900 BC)
Bronze etymology image
Bronze Early Spring and Autumn (~700 BC)
Seal etymology image
Seal Chu (Warring States: 475-221 BC)
Seal etymology image
Seal Chu (Warring States: 475-221 BC)
Seal etymology image
Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Qin dynasty (221-206 BC)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)
Traditional Modern
Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

我住在学校的宿舍。

Wǒ zhù zài xuéxiào de sùshè.

I live in the school dormitory.

旅行时找到好的住宿很重要。

Lǚxíng shí zhǎodào hǎo de zhùsù hěn zhòngyào.

When traveling, finding good accommodation is important.

实现宿愿是他最大的梦想。

Shíxiàn sùyuàn shì tā zuì dà de mèngxiǎng.

Realizing his long-cherished wish is his biggest dream.

他因为宿醉而无法上班。

Tā yīnwèi sùzuì ér wúfǎ shàngbān.

He couldn't go to work because of a hangover.

这两个家族是多年的宿敌。

Zhè liǎng gè jiāzú shì duō nián de sùdí.

These two families have been enemies for many years.

宿命论认为一切早已注定。

Sùmìng lùn rènwéi yīqiè zǎo yǐ zhùdìng.

Fatalism believes that everything is predestined.

他们在森林里宿营了一周。

Tāmen zài sēnlín lǐ sùyíngle yī zhōu.

They camped in the forest for a week.

这种宿疾需要耐心治疗。

Zhè zhǒng sùjí xūyào nàixīn zhìliáo.

This chronic illness requires patient treatment.