The Chinese word **扫描仪** (sǎo miáo yí) for "scanner" is a modern compound noun formed through semantic combination: the verb-object phrase **扫描** (sǎo miáo), meaning "to scan" (literally "to sweep" + "to examine"), is combined with the suffix **仪** (yí), meaning "instrument" or "apparatus." This structure follows a common pattern in Chinese technical terminology where a descriptive action is nominalized with a device-indicating suffix, creating a clear and logical term for a machine that performs the action of scanning.