The word 形态 (xíngtài) is a compound noun formed by combining two characters, each contributing a core semantic concept: 形 (xíng) means "form," "shape," or "structure," while 态 (tài) means "state," "condition," or "posture." Together, they create a single, cohesive term that abstractly represents the concept of "morphology" or "form and state," describing the overall configuration, appearance, and structure of an entity—whether physical (like a biological form) or abstract (like a social formation). This formation follows the common Chinese lexical pattern of pairing related or complementary morphemes to generate a more specific, nuanced meaning than either character alone could convey.