The Chinese word **字谜** (zìmí) is a compound noun formed by combining two meaningful characters: **字** (zì), meaning "character" or "word," and **谜** (mí), meaning "riddle" or "puzzle." It is a classical example of a modifier-head structure in Chinese word formation, where the first element **字** specifies the type or domain of the second element **谜**. Literally translating to "character riddle," it precisely denotes a specific genre of riddle that is based on the structure, components, pronunciation, or meaning of a Chinese character, where the puzzle itself is the character and the solution is often a phrase, another character, or an interpretation of it.