The Chinese word "丹尼" is formed through a process of phonetic transliteration, specifically by selecting two existing Chinese characters whose pronunciations closely approximate the sounds of the syllables in the foreign name "Danny". The character "丹" (dān) is chosen to replicate the "Dan" sound, while "尼" (ní) is used to mimic the "ny" ending, resulting in a combined term that sounds similar to the original English name when spoken in Mandarin. This method relies solely on auditory resemblance rather than meaning, as the individual characters' definitions (like "丹" meaning "red" or "尼" meaning "nun") are disregarded in favor of their phonetic utility.