The word 炉子 (lúzi), meaning "stove" or "heater", is formed through a standard Chinese morphological process. It consists of the core morpheme 炉 (lú), which historically means "furnace" or "fireplace" and carries the fundamental meaning related to fire and heat, combined with the very common nominal suffix 子 (zi). This suffix 子 often serves to convert a root into a concrete, everyday noun, frequently implying a tangible object or device. Therefore, 炉子 essentially means "the device/object that is a furnace", specifying a practical, household appliance for heating or cooking, as opposed to the more general or industrial connotations of 炉 alone.