The Chinese word 幻影 (huànyǐng) is a compound noun formed through semantic combination, where each character contributes to a unified metaphorical meaning. The first character, 幻 (huàn), means "illusion", "unreal", or "magical", conveying a sense of something deceptive or intangible. The second character, 影 (yǐng), means "shadow", "reflection", or "image", denoting a visual form without solid substance. Together, they create the meaning of "phantom", "mirage", or "illusionary image", literally an "illusory shadow", perfectly capturing the concept of something that appears visually present but is fundamentally insubstantial or unreal. This formation is a classic example of how Chinese compounds often build abstract concepts through vivid, concrete imagery.