The Chinese word 延迟 (yánchí), meaning "to delay" or "delay", is a compound word formed through the combination of two semantically related characters: 延 (yán), which means "to prolong" or "to extend", and 迟 (chí), which means "late" or "slow". Together, they create a coordinated or synonymous compound where each character reinforces a similar concept, 延 emphasizes the aspect of extending time, while 迟 emphasizes the resulting state of lateness, thus merging to precisely convey the meaning of a postponement or a slowing down of progress. This formation is a classic example of how modern Chinese frequently constructs vocabulary by pairing characters with related meanings to express a more specific or nuanced idea.