The word 商场 is formed by combining two independent characters, each contributing its core meaning to create a new, composite concept. The first character, 商 (shāng), carries the fundamental idea of "commerce" or "business". The second character, 场 (chǎng), means a "large place" or "ground" designated for a specific activity. When joined, they directly and logically combine to denote a "commerce place" or "business ground", which naturally refers to a marketplace or shopping mall. This formation is a straightforward semantic compound where the whole meaning is essentially the sum of its parts.