The Chinese word "掩护" is formed through the semantic combination of its two constituent characters: "掩", which means to cover or conceal, and "护", which means to protect or defend. Together, they create a compound word where the action of covering or shielding is intrinsically linked to the purpose of protection, often used in contexts like military tactics or figurative scenarios to describe the act of providing cover for someone or something against harm or detection. This formation relies on the conceptual synergy between the characters, where "掩" denotes the method and "护" the intent, resulting in a unified meaning that emphasizes protective concealment.