The word "钓鱼台" is formed by the sequential combination of the characters 钓 (meaning to fish or angle), 鱼 (meaning fish), and 台 (meaning platform or terrace). These characters collectively construct a literal compound noun where 钓 and 鱼 together denote the action of fishing, and 台 appends the sense of a physical structure, resulting in the direct meaning of "fishing platform".