The Chinese word **麻疹** (mázhěn, meaning "measles") is a compound term formed through semantic combination, where each character contributes meaning to describe the disease: **麻** (má) originally conveys a sense of "pimple" or "rough, speckled skin" (historically linked to diseases like smallpox that cause rashes), and **疹** (zhěn) specifically means "rash" or "skin eruption." Together, they create a precise medical term that literally denotes a "pimple-like rash," accurately characterizing the symptom of the illness, which reflects the traditional Chinese medical practice of naming diseases based on their observable physical manifestations.