The word "柜台" is formed by combining two characters, each contributing a key physical and functional concept. "柜" (guì) originally refers to a cabinet or enclosed piece of furniture for storage, implying a contained space. "台" (tái) means a platform, stage, or raised flat surface. When merged, the compound visually and functionally describes the specific structure of a counter or service desk: a raised, flat surface (台) built upon or integrated with a storage unit or enclosure (柜), perfectly capturing the object where transactions occur and items are displayed from below.