The word "小资" is formed by combining the character "小", meaning "small" or "petty", with the abbreviated character "资", derived from "资产阶级" (bourgeoisie), to create a literal meaning of "petty bourgeoisie". Originally a Marxist class term, it now denotes a contemporary urban lifestyle focused on cultural refinement and middle-class consumption, with the formation relying on the direct semantic contribution of each character to convey a reduced scale of bourgeois traits.