The word 手艺 (shǒuyì), meaning "craftsmanship" or "handicraft", is a compound noun formed through semantic combination. The first character 手 (shǒu) means "hand", representing the physical, manual aspect of the work. The second character 艺 (yì) means "art", "skill", or "craft", representing the cultivated technique, artistry, and knowledge involved. Together, they synthetically create a meaning that is greater than the sum of its parts: the art of the hand or the skill of handwork, perfectly encapsulating the concept of skilled manual craft that requires both dexterity and artistic understanding.