The word "坷垃" refers to clods of earth and is formed by combining two characters: "坷", which integrates the earth radical "土" with the phonetic component "可" to convey roughness related to soil, and "垃", which also uses the earth radical "土" with the phonetic component "立" to suggest fragments or debris. Together, these components create a compound word where both characters' association with earth yields a specific term for hardened lumps of soil.