宮きゅう

noun

palace

Refers to a grand residence, especially of royalty or nobility. Often used in compound words like 宮殿 (きゅうでん).

• その王おうは美うつくしい宮きゅうに住すんでいた。

  The king lived in a beautiful palace.

noun

tonic (of the Japanese and Chinese pentatonic scale)

Technical term in traditional music theory. The tonic note of the pentatonic scale. See also 五音 (ごいん).

See also: 五音

• 雅が楽がくでは、宮きゅうは五ご音いんの中ちゅう心しんとなる音おんです。

  In gagaku, the 宮 is the central note of the pentatonic scale.

noun

ancient Chinese punishment (castration for men, confinement for women)

Abbreviation of 宮刑 (きゅうけい). Historical term referring to a severe punishment in ancient China. Rarely used outside historical contexts.

See also: 宮刑

• 「宮きゅう」は、古こ代だい中ちゅう国ごくの残ざん酷こくな刑けい罰ばつの一ひとつを指さすことがある。

  The character 宮 can refer to one of the cruel punishments of ancient China.

noun, noun, used as a suffix

zodiacal sign

Used as a suffix in compounds like 十二宮 (じゅうにきゅう, the twelve zodiac signs). Not used as a standalone word for a zodiac sign.

See also: 十二宮

• 十じゅう二に宮きゅうは、黄こう道どうを12に分わけたものです。

  The twelve zodiac signs are divisions of the ecliptic into twelve parts.