The word **钳子 (qiánzi)** is formed through a logical and common process in Chinese morphology: it combines the meaningful root **钳**, which itself is a pictophonetic character containing the metal radical **钅** to indicate a tool and the component **甘** (historically for sound), conveying the core meaning of "to clamp" or "pincer," with the ubiquitous noun-forming suffix **子**. This suffix **子** adds no inherent meaning but grammatically nominalizes the root, transforming the action or concept of clamping into a concrete, everyday object—"pliers," "pincers," or "tongs." Thus, the formation is transparent: a metal tool (implied by the radical) used for gripping or pinching, explicitly marked as a tangible item.