The word **桔子 (júzi)**, meaning "mandarin orange" or "tangerine," is a disyllabic compound formed through a common Chinese morphological process. The first character, **桔 (jú)**, is the meaningful semantic root that specifically denotes the citrus fruit itself. The second character, **子 (zi)**, primarily functions as a nominal suffix; in this context, it is a neutral-toned suffix that adds no independent meaning but is essential for forming the standard, colloquial two-syllable noun. This structure, where a core meaning character is combined with a meaningless suffix to create a more phonetically balanced and colloquially natural word, is a typical pattern in modern Mandarin for everyday objects (similar to 桌子 for "table"). It is worth noting that **桔** is often used interchangeably with **橘 (jú)** in modern usage, though 桔 originally referred to a different plant.