The word 国防部 is formed by combining three distinct characters, each contributing a clear conceptual layer: 国 (guó) meaning "nation", 防 (fáng) meaning "defense" or "to guard against", and 部 (bù) meaning "ministry" or "department". These components are assembled in a logical, sequential order where the concept narrows from general to specific: first establishing the national scope (国), then specifying the function of defense within that scope (国防), and finally designating it as the official administrative body responsible for that function (国防部). The formation is thus a direct and efficient conceptual compounding.