The Chinese word 首饰 (shǒushì), meaning "jewelry" or "ornaments", is formed through semantic compounding, where two meaningful characters combine to create a new concept. The first character, 首 (shǒu), originally means "head", while the second, 饰 (shì), means "to adorn" or "decoration". Historically, the term referred specifically to decorative items worn on the head, such as hairpins and crowns, which were among the most significant personal adornments in ancient China. Over time, its meaning expanded through synecdoche, using a prominent part (head adornments) to represent the whole category, to encompass all forms of personal decorative wear, including necklaces, bracelets, and rings. Thus, the word's formation reflects both a literal description of its original use and an evolutionary broadening of its semantic scope.