图表 (tú biǎo) is a compound noun meaning 'chart' or 'graph'—a visual representation of data, such as bar charts, line graphs, pie charts, or tables. The first character 图 (tú) means 'picture', 'drawing', or 'diagram', emphasizing the visual, pictorial aspect. The second character 表 (biǎo) means 'table', 'form', or 'chart', highlighting structured presentation of information. Together, they refer broadly to any organized visual tool used to display quantitative or qualitative data clearly and efficiently.

This term is common in academic, business, technical, and educational settings—for example, in reports, presentations, textbooks, or data analysis. It’s neutral in register and widely understood across formal and semi-formal contexts. While 图 alone can mean 'picture' and 表 alone often means 'table' or 'watch', only the compound 图表 carries the specific meaning of 'chart/graph' in modern standard Chinese.