配方 (pèi fāng) literally combines 配 (pèi), meaning 'to combine', 'to mix', or 'to match', and 方 (fāng), meaning 'method', 'plan', or 'prescription'. Together, they refer to a precise set of ingredients and their proportions needed to produce something—most commonly in medicine, cooking, cosmetics, or manufacturing. Unlike the more casual word 菜谱 (càipǔ, 'cookbook'), 配方 emphasizes exact ratios and technical specificity, especially where consistency and safety matter.

This term appears frequently in health-related contexts—such as traditional Chinese medicine prescriptions written by doctors—or in food science, pharmaceuticals, and industrial production. It implies authority and standardization: a 配方 is often proprietary, tested, and formally documented. You’ll see it on product labels (e.g., '本产品采用独特配方' — 'This product uses a unique formula') or in medical consultations ('医生开了新配方' — 'The doctor prescribed a new formula').