The word 火柴 (huǒchái), meaning "match", is formed through a straightforward descriptive compound: the first character 火 means "fire", indicating its primary function, while the second character 柴 means "firewood" or "sticks", describing its physical form. Together, they create the conceptual image of a "fire-stick", perfectly naming the object by combining what it does (creates fire) with what it is (a small piece of wood).