The Chinese word **讲究** is a compound formed by combining two characters: **讲** (jiǎng), which originally means "to speak" or "to explain," and **究** (jiū), meaning "to investigate" or "to study deeply." Historically, together they conveyed the idea of "discussing and investigating (a matter) thoroughly," often in the context of rituals, etiquette, or scholarly debate. Over time, this semantic focus shifted from the *process* of detailed discussion to the *quality* or *standard* that such scrutiny aims for, evolving into its modern meanings of being particular about standards, paying meticulous attention to detail, or refined taste. Thus, the word's formation reflects a conceptual move from an action (studying closely) to an attribute (being refined or fastidious).