The Chinese word 公寓 is formed by combining two characters: 公, which conveys the idea of "public" or "common", and 寓, which means "residence" or "dwelling". Together, they create a compound that literally signifies a "public residence", reflecting the concept of a building containing multiple separate living units shared by various occupants, thus giving rise to the modern meaning of "apartment" or "flat". This formation conceptually emphasizes the communal nature of such housing compared to a private, standalone house.