The word "下来" is formed by the straightforward combination of two basic directional characters: "下", which means "down", and "来", which means "to come" or "toward the speaker". Their union creates a single, compound directional concept that logically sequences the movement, first specifying the primary direction of motion ("downward") and then specifying the perspective or endpoint of that motion ("toward the speaker or a reference point"). This formation follows a common pattern in Chinese where such directional roots are joined to describe a path of movement in relation to an observer.