The Chinese word **熔岩** (róngyán) for "lava" is a logical, semantically transparent compound formed by combining two characters: **熔** (róng), meaning "to melt" or "smelt," and **岩** (yán), meaning "rock." Together, they create the direct and descriptive concept of "melted rock," which perfectly captures the essence of lava as rock that has been liquefied by intense heat. This formation follows a common pattern in Chinese where two root words are joined to produce a new, precise term whose meaning is readily apparent from its components.