The word "摩梭" is formed through phonetic transcription, using the characters "摩" (mó) and "梭" (suō) to approximate the sound of the ethnic group's name in their native language. The characters are selected primarily for their phonetic values, with their original meanings, such as "rub" for "摩" and "shuttle" for "梭", being largely irrelevant to the term's function as a proper noun for the Mosuo people.