The Chinese word **胡须** (húxū, meaning "beard") is a compound noun formed through semantic combination, where both characters contribute related meanings. The character **胡** originally referred to non-Han ethnic groups in ancient northern and western China, who were often stereotypically depicted with heavy facial hair, thus acquiring an associative meaning of "coarse hair or beard." The character **须** directly means "beard" or "whiskers." Together, they form a **synonym compound**, where both elements reinforce the same core concept—facial hair—with "胡" adding a connotation of thickness or coarseness, historically derived from cultural perception.