The Chinese word 科幻 (kēhuàn), meaning "science fiction", is a modern compound formed by combining two morphemes: 科 (kē), which is short for 科学 (kēxué), meaning "science", and 幻 (huàn), which is short for 幻想 (huànxiǎng), meaning "fantasy" or "imagination". This type of word formation, where two abbreviated core characters are joined to create a new, specific concept, is common in contemporary Chinese, particularly for translating or conceptualizing Western genres. The term perfectly encapsulates the genre's essence by directly merging the logical, technological framework of "science" with the speculative, imaginative element of "fantasy".