The Chinese word for "octopus", 章鱼 (zhāngyú), is a compound noun formed through descriptive combination: the character 章 (zhāng), which can mean "pattern", "mark", or "order", is combined with 鱼 (yú), meaning "fish". This construction literally translates to "patterned fish" or "mark fish", which is a descriptive reference to the animal's distinctive appearance, specifically its bulbous head and patterned skin, despite the octopus not being a true fish. It is a classic example of Chinese word formation where a defining characteristic (the patterned body) is paired with a broader categorical term (fish, often used for aquatic creatures) to create a new, specific meaning.