The Chinese word **零花钱** (línghuāqián), meaning "pocket money" or "allowance," is a compound noun formed through semantic combination: **零** (líng) means "fragmentary" or "odd/ spare," **花** (huā) is the verb "to spend," and **钱** (qián) is "money." The term literally translates to "fragmentary spending money," conceptually describing small, discretionary amounts of cash given for minor personal expenses, where the "spending" element is embedded directly into the word's structure.