The word **珍宝 (zhēnbǎo)**, meaning "treasure" or "jewel," is formed through **semantic compounding**, where two characters with similar meanings are combined to create a more specific and emphatic concept. The first character, **珍 (zhēn)**, originally meant "precious jewel" and conveys rarity and high value, while the second, **宝 (bǎo)**, meant "treasure" or "something precious." By pairing these near-synonyms, the compound reinforces and intensifies the core idea of an object that is exceptionally rare, valuable, and cherished, resulting in a term stronger and more nuanced than either character alone.