The word **应聘 (yìngpìn)** is formed as a verb-object compound where the first character **应 (yìng)** means "to respond to" or "to accept," and the second character **聘 (pìn)** means "to hire" or "to invite for a position." Literally, the combination means "to respond to a hiring invitation," which semantically merges to convey the modern meaning of actively applying for or accepting a job offer, thus capturing the entire action of seeking and accepting employment in a single, concise term.