The word 名片 is formed by combining two characters: 名 (míng), meaning "name", and 片 (piàn), meaning a "thin piece" or "card". It is a straightforward, literal compound where the two concepts are placed side-by-side to create a new, specific meaning: a "name card", which is the physical object we know as a business card. The formation directly describes the item's primary function, a piece of card bearing one's name and details.