The word "泡泡" is formed through a process of reduplication, where the single character 泡 (pào), which means "bubble", is doubled. This repetition directly mimics and emphasizes the visual and conceptual nature of its referent, it creates an immediate sensory association with many bubbles, foam, or a bubbly, light, and often playful quality, making the word feel inherently descriptive and imitative of its meaning.