The Chinese word "树叶" (shùyè), meaning "tree leaf", is a straightforward example of a compound word formed through semantic combination. It follows a modifier-head structure common in Chinese morphology, where the first character "树" (shù, meaning "tree") acts as a modifier or category specifying the type, and the second character "叶" (yè, meaning "leaf") functions as the core noun. Together, they create a precise meaning where "树" narrows down the general concept of "leaf" to those specifically belonging to a tree, differentiating it from other leaves like "茶叶" (cháyè, tea leaf). This logical and direct compounding is a fundamental method of word formation in Chinese.