The word 礼物 is formed by combining two characters, each contributing its core meaning to create a new concept. The first character, 礼 (lǐ), originally pertains to ritual, ceremony, or propriety, actions or items that show respect. The second, 物 (wù), simply means a thing or an object. When fused, the compound meaning evolves from "ritual object" to specifically denote an object given as a gesture of respect, goodwill, or celebration, hence, a "gift". Its formation is a classic example of semantic compounding in Chinese, where the relationship between the characters is not grammatical but conceptual, with the whole meaning being a direct product of the parts.