palace · shrine

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: 宮 conveys a palace or shrine.
• Basic usage: 宮（みや） means a shrine or palace, while 宮殿（きゅうでん） means a palace.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• Shrine and palace meanings, with two readings
  • 山の宮 refers to a mountain shrine, while the seaside 宮 in the illustrated handscroll is a palace.
  • 宮殿 refers to a palace where a princess lives or which tourists visit. In this word, 宮 is read きゅう, unlike the standalone word read みや.