The Chinese term **毒枭 (dúxiāo)** for "drug lord" is a compound word formed through semantic combination: **毒 (dú)** literally means "poison" but is used here to mean "drugs" or "narcotics," establishing the domain of the term, while **枭 (xiāo)** originally refers to an "owl" but has acquired a figurative meaning of a "fierce and formidable leader" or "chief" (historically used for a rebellious chieftain). Together, they create a vivid metaphor, likening the powerful and ruthless leader of a drug trafficking organization to a predatory bird of prey, thus forming a term that conveys both the illicit nature of the trade (**毒**) and the dominant, ruthless authority of the person (**枭**).