The formation of the word "制度" is a conceptual fusion where the first character, 制, carries the core idea of "to regulate", "to control", or "to institute", implying an active, top-down act of establishing order. This is combined with the second character, 度, which embodies the concepts of "measure", "standard", or "extent", providing the necessary framework, scale, or boundary within which the regulation operates. Together, they metaphorically extend from the tangible idea of "creating a measured standard" (like cutting cloth to a pattern) to the abstract social concept of an established "system" or "institution", a set of measured rules and controls that govern conduct within a defined sphere.