The Chinese word **原型** (*yuánxíng*) is a compound noun formed by combining two meaningful characters: **原** (*yuán*), meaning "original," "primary," or "source," and **型** (*xíng*), meaning "model," "type," or "form." Together, they create a meaning that is more specific than the sum of its parts, literally "original model" or "primary form." This formation follows the common Chinese morphological process of **modifier-head compounding**, where the first character **原** modifies and specifies the kind of **型**, resulting in the concept of an archetype, prototype, or the fundamental model from which other versions or copies are derived.