The Chinese word 手肘 (shǒuzhǒu), meaning "elbow," is formed through semantic compounding, combining two characters that each contribute meaning to create a specific anatomical term. The first character, 手 (shǒu), means "hand," while the second, 肘 (zhǒu), specifically means "elbow" itself. In this compound, 手 acts as a modifier to specify and clarify the location; it indicates that this "elbow" is the one belonging to or directly connected to the hand/arm, as opposed to a more general joint. This follows a common pattern in Chinese vocabulary formation where two related, concrete nouns are combined to create a precise, compound noun, with the first character often providing contextual or categorical information for the second.