The Chinese word 庇护 (bìhù), meaning "to shelter" or "to take under one's protection", is formed through the common process of semantic compounding, where two characters with related meanings are combined to create a more specific or nuanced term. The first character, 庇 (bì), originally depicted a shelter or cover and carries the core meaning of "to shield" or "to cover". The second character, 护 (hù), means "to protect", "to guard", or "to defend". When paired, these two synonymous morphemes reinforce each other, creating a compound verb that vividly conveys the act of providing protective shelter or asylum, often from danger or persecution.