The Chinese word **慈爱** (cí'ài) is a compound term formed by combining two semantically related characters: **慈** (cí), which conveys notions of kindness, compassion, and maternal gentleness, and **爱** (ài), which means love or deep affection. Together, they create a unified concept where **慈** modifies and deepens the nature of **爱**, specifying it as a benevolent, nurturing, and often protective form of love, such as that of a parent for a child or a compassionate elder. This formation follows a common pattern in Chinese where two synonyms or near-synonyms are joined to express a single, more nuanced and emphatic idea.