The Chinese word "波浪" (bōlàng), meaning "wave" as in ocean waves, is formed by combining two semantically related characters: "波" (bō), which originally denotes ripples or smaller disturbances on water, and "浪" (làng), which refers to larger, rolling waves or billows. Both characters share the water radical (氵), anchoring their meaning in liquid movement. This structure is a classic example of a coordinative compound, where two synonyms or near-synonyms are paired to create a single, more vivid or comprehensive concept—in this case, encompassing the full, undulating motion of water.