The word **肚皮 (dùpí)** is a compound noun formed by combining two characters: **肚 (dù)**, meaning "belly" or "abdomen," and **皮 (pí)**, meaning "skin" or "surface." It follows a common morphological structure in Chinese where two related, concrete morphemes are joined to create a new, more specific term. Literally meaning "belly skin," the compound semantically narrows to refer specifically to the **external abdominal area or the skin of the belly**, often with a colloquial or vivid connotation, distinguishing it from the more general internal organ sense of **肚 (dù)** alone.