The Chinese word for cholera, **霍乱 (huòluàn)**, is a classical compound term formed through semantic combination, where "霍" (huò) conveys a meaning of suddenness or rapid occurrence, and "乱" (luàn) means disorder, chaos, or turmoil. Together, they descriptively characterize the disease's defining clinical feature: the abrupt and violent onset of gastrointestinal disruption and severe, chaotic symptoms like rapid dehydration and vomiting. This term, rooted in traditional Chinese medical observation, effectively captures the acute and disorderly nature of the illness through its literal meaning of "sudden chaos."