The Chinese word 主流 (zhǔliú) is a compound noun formed by combining two characters: 主 (zhǔ), meaning "main," "primary," or "dominant," and 流 (liú), meaning "flow," "current," or "stream." Together, they create a metaphorical concept meaning "mainstream," where 流 evokes the image of a primary current of water, symbolizing the dominant trend, direction, or prevailing tendency within a society, culture, or field of thought. Thus, the term literally translates to "main current" and is used figuratively to describe what is most common, accepted, or influential at a given time.