The Chinese word **垒球** (lěiqiú), meaning "softball," is a compound formed by combining two characters: **垒** (lěi), which means "base" or "fort" (referring to the bases on the field), and **球** (qiú), meaning "ball." It is a direct semantic translation of the English term "baseball," but in Chinese usage, it specifically refers to the variant sport of softball. The formation is purely descriptive, where the first character denotes a key feature of the game (the bases), and the second categorizes it as a ball sport, creating a logical and transparent compound noun.