宮

Phono-semantic compound:

宀 (면, roof/house) – semantic component, indicating building or dwelling.

呂 (려, spine/companion, doubled “mouth”) – phonetic component, giving the sound.

Originally depicted a large enclosed building, extended to mean “palace” or “imperial residence.” By association, came to mean “temple” and also “grand house.”

宮殿 (궁전) — palace, royal palace

東宮 (동궁) — crown prince’s palace

宮廷 (궁정) — imperial court

神宮 (신궁) — Shinto grand shrine (Japanese usage)

궁중 음악 (宮中音樂) — court/royal music

In Korean (궁): primarily means palace, often used in historical or royal contexts.

In Chinese (gōng): widely used for palace, temples, and in compound words (e.g., 故宮 “the Forbidden City”).

In Japanese (きゅう, みや): used in imperial and shrine names; also as a noble title or surname.

In traditional Chinese music theory, 宮 represents the first of the five notes (궁-상-각-치-우, 宮商角徵羽).