The word 出自 is formed through a logical and spatial combination of its two component characters: 出, which depicts a foot stepping out of a contained space (a cliff or pit in its ancient form), conveying the idea of "to exit" or "come out"; and 自, which originally was a pictogram of the nose, representing the self and, by extension, the point of origin or "from". Their combination visually and conceptually merges to create the meaning "to come out from", portraying the action of emerging or originating from a specific source, as if one thing steps out from the very identity or location of another.