The Chinese word **斑马 (bānmǎ)**, meaning "zebra," is a semantically transparent compound formed by combining the character **斑 (bān)**, which means "striped" or "speckled," with the character **马 (mǎ)**, which means "horse." It follows a common descriptive pattern in Chinese word formation where a distinguishing feature (stripes) is directly attached to a general category (horse), creating a literal and intuitive term: a "striped horse." This method of compounding is highly productive in Mandarin, allowing for the creation of clear, visual names for animals and objects based on their key characteristics.