The word 胎儿 is formed by combining two meaningful components: 胎 (tāi), which specifically means "fetus" or "embryo", and 儿 (ér), a nominal suffix that here denotes a human being or child. Together, they create a compound where the first component provides the core, specific meaning ("fetal") and the second component generalizes and personifies it into the living entity, resulting in the complete term for "fetus" or "unborn baby".