The compound word 当做 (dàngzuò) is formed by combining the character 当 (dàng), which carries meanings such as "to act as", "to serve as", or "to consider as", with the character 做 (zuò), which means "to do" or "to make". Together, they create a verb that means "to treat as", "to regard as", or "to use as", where 当 provides the conceptual sense of "serving in the role of" and 做 adds the active, practical dimension of "making" or "treating" something in that manner. Thus, the word semantically merges the idea of assuming a role with the action of applying that treatment, as in treating one thing as if it were another.