The Chinese word 手电筒 (shǒudiàntǒng), meaning "flashlight" or "electric torch," is a logically constructed compound noun formed from three meaningful characters: 手 (shǒu) meaning "hand," 电 (diàn) meaning "electricity" or "electric," and 筒 (tǒng) meaning "tube" or "cylinder." It is a classic example of a modern Chinese compound where the components describe the object's function and form—literally a "hand-held electric tube," which perfectly captures the essence of a portable, cylindrical device that emits electric light.