宫 (gōng) - Palace — refers to imperial palaces, grand residences, & also used in musical scale names (gōng scale)

宫Tone 1

gōng ｜ 9 strokes ｜ radical: 宀

枫惠

宫 · gōng

Palace — refers to imperial palaces, grand residences, temples;

also used in musical scale names (gōng scale) and anatomical terms (uterine cavity).

Palace — refers to imperial palaces, grand residences,also used in musical scale names (gōng scale)

Usage highlights

Imperial palaceForbidden CitySummer PalacePalace museumUterusMusical scale note

Synonyms

  • 殿— hall, palace (often used together with 宫)
  • 阙— palace tower, imperial residence

Antonyms

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The Forbidden City is an imperial palace (故宫).
  • We visited the Summer Palace (颐和园).
  • Gōng is the first note in Chinese musical scale (宫音).
  • The uterine cavity is called zǐgōng (子宫).

Collocations

  • Imperial palace(宫殿)
  • Forbidden City(故宫)
  • Summer Palace(颐和园)
  • Palace museum(故宫博物院)
  • Uterus(子宫)
  • Musical scale note(宫音)

Idioms

  • The Three Palaces and Six Courts(三宫六院)
  • Moving the palace and changing the feather(移宫换羽)
  • Cleansing the palace to welcome the emperor(清宫除道)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • In imperial China, '宫' specifically referred to the emperor's residence and administrative centers.
  • The character appears in many famous historical sites like the Forbidden City (故宫).
  • In traditional Chinese music, '宫' represents the first note of the pentatonic scale.
  • The character carries connotations of grandeur, authority, and cultural heritage.

FAQ