The Chinese word 价值观 (jiàzhíguān), meaning "values" or "value system," is a modern compound formed through semantic combination: 价 (jià) means "price" or "value," 值 (zhí) means "worth" or "value," and together 价值 (jiàzhí) solidifies the abstract concept of "value." The character 观 (guān) means "view," "outlook," or "concept." Thus, the term literally constructs the meaning "a concept or view of value," forming a noun that denotes the collective principles and standards by which a person or society judges what is important, desirable, and worthy—effectively translating the Western philosophical concept of "values" into Chinese lexical structure.