The word "初步" is formed by combining the character "初", meaning initial or beginning, which originates from the radical for clothing ("衣") and knife ("刀") indicating the start of cutting cloth, with the character "步", meaning step or stage, derived from a pictographic representation of feet walking. Together, they create a compound where "初" modifies "步" to convey the literal sense of an initial step, thus denoting something preliminary or basic.