The Chinese word **咀嚼** is a **disyllabic compound verb** formed through **lexicalization**, where two semantically similar and phonetically related characters are combined to create a more specific meaning. The first character, **咀 (jǔ)**, originally means "to hold in the mouth" or "to savor," while the second, **嚼 (jué)**, means "to chew" or "to masticate." When paired, they create a nuanced term that describes the **entire process of chewing thoughtfully**—encompassing both the physical grinding action and the slower, deliberate act of tasting or ruminating, often extended metaphorically to mean pondering over an idea. This formation exemplifies a common pattern in Chinese where synonymous or near-synonymous morphemes are combined to reinforce and refine a core concept.