The word 原始 is formed by combining two characters, each contributing a layer of meaning to create a single, unified concept. The first character, 原, carries the core idea of a "source", "origin", or "primal state", like a springhead or an undisturbed plain. The second character, 始, means "beginning" or "commencement", focusing on the initial point in time. When fused, 原 provides the foundational, spatial sense of an origin, while 始 introduces the temporal aspect of a starting point. Together, they synergistically form the abstract notion of "primordial" or "original", describing the very first and most ancient state from which something develops.