The word "手枪" (shǒuqiāng, meaning "pistol") is formed by combining two meaningful characters into a single, logical concept. The first character, "手" (shǒu), means "hand", and the second, "枪" (qiāng), originally meant "spear" but evolved to mean any long firearm or gun. When placed together, they create a direct, descriptive compound: a "hand-gun", which perfectly defines a small firearm designed to be held and operated with one hand. This formation follows a straightforward pattern of specifying the tool ("gun") by its primary mode of use or characteristic ("hand").