The word 合同 is formed by combining two characters whose individual meanings conceptually merge to create the new term. 合 means "to join", "to combine", or "to close", while 同 means "together", "same", or "mutual". When placed together, the term visually and notionally represents the idea of two or more parties bringing their identical or aligned intentions together and joining them into one unified agreement. It evokes the image of matching halves or terms coming together to form a complete, mutually consented pact, which is the essence of a contract.