The word 芯片 is formed by combining two meaningful characters: 芯 (xīn), meaning "core" or "wick", metaphorically representing the essential, central processing part, and 片 (piàn), meaning "thin slice" or "flake", describing its physical form. Together, they create a direct and vivid conceptual image of a "core slice", a thin piece of material that contains the essential circuitry, perfectly encapsulating the physical and functional nature of a microchip.