The Chinese word "台湾" (Táiwān) is formed through a descriptive geographical compound: the character "台" (Tái) historically means "terrace" or "platform," and in this context, it is a shortened form derived from early names like "台员" or "大员" used by Minnan-speaking settlers to phonetically represent the name of a local tribe, which later became generalized for the island; the character "湾" (wān) means "bay," referring to the island's coastal features. Combined, "台湾" literally suggests "Terrace Bay," evolving into the standard name for the island through historical usage, succinctly capturing both phonetic adaptation and a geographical characteristic.