The Chinese word 泡沫 (pàomò), meaning "foam" or "bubble", is a compound formed by combining two characters with closely related meanings. The first character, 泡 (pào), primarily means "bubble" or "to soak", while the second, 沫 (mò), means "froth" or "foam". Together, they create a reinforced semantic unit where both components contribute to the overall concept of a light, airy, and often insubstantial mass of small bubbles, a pattern common in Chinese where synonyms or near-synonyms are paired to form a precise and vivid term. This word can also be used metaphorically, as in economic "bubbles" (经济泡沫), extending from its literal, physical meaning.