The Chinese word **肌肤** (jīfū) is a **binomial compound** formed by combining two synonymous characters, each related to the surface of the body: **肌** (jī), which originally refers to muscle tissue or flesh, and **肤** (fū), which specifically means skin. This pairing follows a common pattern in Chinese lexicon creation where near-synonyms are joined to form a single, more abstract or refined concept—in this case, the integrated idea of "skin and flesh" or simply "skin," often conveying a sense of the body's surface, texture, and overall complexion in a literary or formal register. The compound thus encompasses a broader, more holistic meaning than either character alone, emphasizing the intimate connection between the skin and the underlying flesh as a unified whole.