The word **邻里 (línlǐ)** is a compound noun formed through the combination of two semantically related characters: **邻 (lín)**, which means "neighbor" or "adjacent," and **里 (lǐ)**, which historically refers to a residential community, lane, or neighborhood unit. Together, they create a term whose meaning extends beyond the simple sum of its parts; it denotes the collective concept of **"neighbors and neighborhood,"** emphasizing both the people living nearby and the immediate communal environment itself. This formation exemplifies a common Chinese word-building method where two synonyms or closely associated terms are joined to express a broader, more abstract, or socially cohesive idea.