The Chinese word 潜意识 (qián yìshí), meaning "subconscious" or "unconscious mind", is a compound word formed through semantic combination: the character 潜 (qián) means "hidden", "latent", or "submerged", and 意识 (yìshí) means "consciousness" or "awareness". Together, they create a conceptual calque, directly translating the Western psychological concept of the "subconscious" (from Latin sub- "under" and conscious) into Chinese by combining the idea of something being beneath or hidden from ordinary conscious awareness. This formation exemplifies modern Chinese terminology that constructs new words by logically combining existing morphemes to capture imported scientific ideas.