The word "鹿茸" is formed by combining the character "鹿" (lù), meaning "deer", with the character "茸" (róng), which specifically refers to the soft, velvety covering of immature antlers. Together, they create a compound term that literally denotes "deer velvet antler", identifying the substance as the youthful, pilose antler of a deer, harvested for use in traditional medicine.