The word 冒险 (màoxiǎn) is formed by directly combining two conceptual ideas: 冒, which means "to brave" or "to venture forth", and 险, which means "danger" or "peril". The formation is not grammatical but purely ideographic; it visually and conceptually merges the action of stepping into a risky situation with the inherent state of danger itself, creating the composite meaning of "to take a risk" or "adventure".