The word 牛排 is formed by combining two characters: 牛 (niú), meaning "cow" or "ox", and 排 (pái), meaning "row" or "slice". It is a direct, conceptual compound where 牛 provides the core material (beef) and 排 describes its common form, a slice or cut arranged in a slab, much like a "row" of meat. This creates a new, specific meaning ("beefsteak") through the logical association of the animal source with the prepared shape of the food, mirroring the Western concept of a steak cut.