The word **礼堂 (lǐtáng)**, meaning "auditorium" or "assembly hall," is a typical Chinese compound word formed through **semantic compounding**. It combines the morpheme **礼 (lǐ)**, meaning "ritual," "ceremony," or "propriety," with **堂 (táng)**, meaning "hall" or "large room." The first element, **礼**, specifies the primary *purpose* or *function* of the hall, while the second element, **堂**, denotes the *type of structure or space*. Thus, the compound logically creates the meaning "a hall for ceremonies or formal assemblies," where the relationship between the two components is essentially **modifier (purpose) + head noun (place)**.