The word 正规 (zhèngguī) is a compound formed by combining two independent characters, each contributing its core meaning: 正 (zhèng) meaning "correct," "proper," or "upright," and 规 (guī) meaning "rule," "regulation," or "standard." Together, they create an adjective where 正 acts as a modifier describing the nature of the 规, effectively meaning "according to correct standards" or "properly regulated," thus conveying the sense of "formal," "regular," or "standardized." This follows a common Chinese word-formation pattern where two semantically related morphemes are combined to produce a new, more specific concept.