The Chinese word 秘诀 (mìjué) is a compound term formed by combining two characters, each contributing essential semantic components to its overall meaning. The first character, 秘 (mì), conveys the idea of something "secret", "confidential", or "mysterious". The second character, 诀 (jué), signifies a "knack", "key method", "formula", or "essential guiding principle". When fused, these characters create a noun that specifically means a "secret formula", "key secret", or "trick of the trade", referring to a closely held, highly effective method or technique for achieving success in a particular endeavor. The formation thus follows a common Chinese lexical pattern where an adjective-like modifier (秘) qualifies a core nominal concept (诀) to produce a precise and nuanced meaning.