The word "南苑" is formed by combining the character "南", meaning "south", with "苑", meaning "garden" or "imperial park", to create a compound term that literally translates to "southern garden". Historically, it specifically refers to the Imperial Southern Hunting Park in Beijing, indicating its geographical location relative to the city. The formation is straightforward, with "南" acting as a directional modifier for "苑", specifying the type and location of the garden.