The word 发现 is formed through the combination of two meaningful characters, where each contributes a distinct conceptual layer to create the unified idea of "discovery". The first character, 发 (fā), carries an inherent sense of initiating, emitting, or revealing something outward, as if from a hidden state. The second, 现 (xiàn), fundamentally means to appear, to become visible, or to manifest in the present. Therefore, the compound logically and pictographically represents the process of causing what is hidden to appear or become visible, which perfectly encapsulates the act of finding or discovering something previously unknown or unseen.