The word "根状茎" is formed by sequentially combining three characters: 根 (root), 状 (shape or form), and 茎 (stem). The character 根 establishes the base concept of a root, 状 modifies it to mean "root-shaped", and this compound modifier then describes 茎 (stem), creating a literal meaning of "root-shaped stem", which specifically denotes a botanical rhizome.