The Chinese word **牲口** (shēngkou) is a compound noun formed by combining two characters: **牲** (shēng), which originally refers to animals used for sacrifice or, by extension, domestic livestock, and **口** (kǒu), which literally means "mouth" but in this context acts as a *measure word* or semantic component for counting animals. Together, they create a meaning that is more specific than either part alone, referring specifically to **domesticated animals used for labor or as beasts of burden**, such as horses, oxen, or mules. The formation follows a common Chinese linguistic pattern where two related morphemes are joined to define a concrete, functional category of animals.