The term "双亲" is a modern Chinese compound word formed through semantic combination, where "双" (shuāng) means "pair" or "two," and "亲" (qīn) means "parent" or "close relative." Together, they literally translate to "a pair of parents," specifically referring to one's father and mother as a collective unit. This construction emphasizes the duality and equal importance of both parents, offering a more formal and respectful alternative to the more common and direct "父母" (fùmǔ, father-mother). Unlike some classical Chinese terms, "双亲" is a relatively recent lexical formation that reflects the analytical nature of modern Mandarin, where precise meanings are often built by logically combining simpler, meaningful characters.