The Chinese word **慎重 (shènzhòng)**, meaning "cautious" or "prudent," is a **synonym compound** formed by combining two characters with similar meanings to reinforce and nuance the overall concept. The first character, **慎 (shèn)**, means "careful" or "circumspect," while the second, **重 (zhòng)**, in this context conveys "weighty," "serious," or "grave." Together, they create a single lexical unit that emphasizes the idea of treating a matter with serious care and deliberate thought, where the combined meaning is more specific and emphatic than either character alone.