The word 鳄鱼 (èyú, "crocodile/alligator") is formed through a simple, descriptive compounding process. It literally combines the character 鳄, which specifically means "crocodilian", with the character 鱼, meaning "fish". This creates the direct conceptual image of a "crocodile-fish", reflecting the animal's fish-like, aquatic habitat and elongated, scaly body as observed and categorized by ancient Chinese speakers, who saw it as a reptilian creature belonging to the watery domain of fish.