The word **皇宫** (huánggōng) is a compound noun formed by combining the character **皇** (huáng), meaning "emperor" or "imperial," with the character **宫** (gōng), meaning "palace" or "large residence." It follows a common Chinese grammatical structure where a modifier (皇) is placed before a core noun (宫) to specify its type or ownership, thus creating the precise meaning of "imperial palace," the grand residence and administrative center of a Chinese emperor.