The word "摩托车" is formed through a logical, multi-step conceptual assembly: it begins with the transliterated sound "摩托" (mótuō) borrowed from the English word "motor", which is then combined with the foundational character "车" (chē), meaning "vehicle" or "wheeled conveyance". This structure essentially creates a "motor-vehicle", where the first part specifies the engine type and the final part defines the overall category, resulting in a clear compound term for a motorcycle.