The word 了结 is formed by combining two characters, each contributing a core concept to create a new, unified meaning. The first character, 了, carries the essential idea of completion or finality. The second character, 结, originally means to tie a knot, conveying the notion of something being bound, connected, or brought to a point of conclusion. When merged, the conceptual imagery is of taking a matter that is "knotted" or ongoing and bringing it to a definitive and final end, thus forming the meaning "to finish conclusively" or "to settle".