The word 毛巾 (máojīn, meaning "towel") is formed by directly combining two pictographic characters to create a logical, image-based concept. The first character, 毛 (máo), depicts hair or fur, evoking a soft, fibrous texture. The second, 巾 (jīn), represents a piece of cloth or a scarf. When placed together, the compound visually and conceptually signifies "a cloth with a hairy/fibrous surface", perfectly describing the essential nature of a towel.