The word **个体** (gètǐ), meaning "individual" or "single entity," is formed through the compounding of two meaningful characters: **个** (gè), which functions as a common general measure word for people or objects, inherently conveying a sense of a single unit, and **体** (tǐ), which means "body," "substance," or "form." Together, they create a conceptual fusion where **个** emphasizes the unitary or singular aspect and **体** provides the notion of a tangible or defined entity. Thus, the compound literally reads as "single body" or "unit entity," and its meaning has extended to refer to an individual person, a private business (个体户), or any distinct, indivisible unit within a larger system.