The Chinese word "凯利" is formed through the process of phonetic transliteration, specifically designed to approximate the sound of the foreign name "Kelly". The character "凯" (kǎi) is chosen for its phonetic similarity to the first syllable "Kay", while "利" (lì) mirrors the sound of "lee", together creating a close auditory match to the original name. This approach uses existing Chinese characters primarily for their sound rather than their meaning, following a conventional method for adapting foreign names into Chinese script.