The Chinese word 修剪 (xiūjiǎn), meaning "to prune" or "to trim," is a verb formed through the common Chinese linguistic process of **coordinative compounding**, where two semantically similar characters are combined to create a more specific meaning. The first character, 修 (xiū), carries the core idea of "to repair," "to adorn," or "to make neat," while the second, 剪 (jiǎn), explicitly means "to cut (with scissors)" or "scissors." When paired, their meanings blend synergistically: 修 provides the purpose (to tidy or improve), and 剪 specifies the primary action (cutting), resulting in the precise concept of cutting away excess to improve the shape or health of something, like plants or hair.