The Chinese word 毒物 is a straightforward compound noun formed by combining the character 毒 (dú), meaning "poison" or "toxic", with the character 物 (wù), meaning "thing", "substance", or "matter". It follows a common modifier-head structure in Chinese grammar, where the first character (毒) acts as an adjective describing the type or nature of the second character (物), which serves as the core noun. Therefore, 毒物 literally translates to "poisonous substance" or "toxicant", directly and efficiently conveying the concept of a material that is harmful or lethal due to its toxic properties.