The word 圣洁 (shèngjié), meaning "holy" or "sacred," is a **compound word formed through semantic combination**. It brings together two characters with related meanings: 圣 (shèng), which conveys "saintly," "sage-like," or "divine," and 洁 (jié), which means "clean," "pure," or "unsullied." This structure follows a common pattern in Chinese where two synonymous or complementary morphemes are paired to create a single, more nuanced, and emphatic concept. Thus, 圣洁 merges the idea of divine, reverent quality (圣) with the idea of moral and spiritual purity (洁) to express a state of holiness that is both consecrated and impeccably pure.