The word 基地 is formed through semantic compounding, where two meaningful characters are combined to create a new, unified concept. The first character, 基 (jī), carries the core idea of a "foundation", "base", or "fundamental support". The second character, 地 (dì), means "ground", "land", or "place". By fusing these concepts, the compound logically constructs the meaning of a "base of operations" or a "foundational site", a specific piece of land or location that serves as the fundamental support center for an activity, such as a military base (军事基地) or a research base.