The Chinese word **指南针 (zhǐnánzhēn)** for "compass" is a compound term formed through descriptive logic: it combines **指南 (zhǐnán)**, meaning "to point south," with **针 (zhēn)**, meaning "needle," to create the literal meaning "south-pointing needle." This construction directly reflects the object's primary function in ancient Chinese navigation, where the magnetized needle was observed to align with the Earth's magnetic field, consistently indicating the southern direction (south being traditionally emphasized over north in Chinese cartography). The term evolved from an earlier historical name **司南 (sīnán)**, or "south-controller," with the modern version cementing the more explicit, instrumental nature of the device as a directional pointer.