The Chinese word 印章 (yìnzhāng), meaning "seal" or "stamp," is a compound term formed by combining two semantically related characters: 印, which originally depicted a hand pressing down on a kneeling person, evolved to mean "to print" or "impression," and 章, which signifies a distinctive mark, emblem, or documented article. Together, they create a binominal (hendiadys) compound where both elements reinforce the core concept—印 emphasizing the action of stamping and the resulting imprint, and 章 emphasizing the authorized, often ornate, design or inscription being stamped. Thus, the term holistically represents the physical seal tool and the official impression it leaves as a mark of authentication.