The Chinese word **开幕 (kāimù)**, meaning "to inaugurate" or "to open (an event)," is a **verb-object compound** formed by combining the character **开 (kāi)**, meaning "to open," with **幕 (mù)**, meaning "curtain" or "screen." Literally, it describes the action of "opening the curtain," a metaphor originating from the theater where raising the curtain signals the beginning of a performance. Figuratively, this sense of initiating a spectacle was extended to any formal commencement, such as ceremonies, exhibitions, or conferences, capturing the concept of a grand or official start through a vivid, action-based image.