The Chinese word 调戏 (tiáoxì) is a compound verb formed through the combination of two characters: 调, which carries meanings of "to provoke," "to tease," or "to adjust," and 戏, meaning "to play," "to jest," or "a drama." Together, they form a verb-object structure where 调 acts upon the concept of 戏, semantically merging to mean "to tease playfully" or "to flirt with," but with a strong negative connotation of doing so in a harassing, disrespectful, or overly familiar manner, often implying a power imbalance where the target is made to feel uncomfortable or violated. This formation exemplifies how classical Chinese often creates precise concepts by combining simpler, more abstract characters.