The Chinese word **舆论 (yúlùn)**, meaning "public opinion," is a compound term formed by combining two characters: **舆 (yú)**, which in classical Chinese extended from its original meaning of "cart" or "carriage" to metaphorically represent "the masses" or "public sentiment," and **论 (lùn)**, which means "discussion," "discourse," or "opinion." Together, they create a conceptual compound where 论 ("discourse") is modified by 舆 ("of the public"), literally translating to "the discourse of the public" or "public discussion," which semantically evolved into its modern sense of the collective views and attitudes prevalent in society.