The Chinese word 渴求 (kěqiú), meaning "to crave" or "to thirst for," is a compound formed through semantic combination, where each character contributes its core meaning to create a vivid metaphorical expression. The first character, 渴 (kě), means "thirsty," conveying a sense of intense physical need or longing. The second character, 求 (qiú), means "to seek" or "to request." When combined, the structure follows a common adverbial-verb pattern, where 渴 descriptively modifies 求; thus, the compound literally signifies "to seek thirstily" or "to pursue with a thirst-like urgency," powerfully encapsulating the concept of a deep, insatiable desire.