The Chinese word **长辈 (zhǎngbèi)**, meaning "elder" or "senior," is a compound noun formed by combining two meaningful characters: **长 (zhǎng)**, which conveys the sense of "older," "senior," or "chief," and **辈 (bèi)**, which means "generation" or "lifetime." Together, they create a semantic compound where **长** modifies **辈**, specifying not just any generation, but specifically the *senior generation* within a family or social hierarchy. This formation follows a common pattern in Chinese where two related concepts are joined to produce a new, more specific term, in this case precisely denoting one's elders or superiors in terms of age and generational rank.