The word 喜爱 is formed by combining two independent characters, each carrying its own core emotional meaning, into a single, more nuanced concept. 喜 (xǐ) conveys a sense of joy, happiness, or delight, an upbeat, pleased feeling. 爱 (ài) conveys a deeper sense of love, fondness, or cherished affection. When fused, they create a compound idea where the initial spark of "joyful liking" (喜) naturally deepens into and blends with a more enduring "affectionate love" (爱), resulting in the comprehensive sense of "to like very much" or "to be fond of". It is a conceptual merger where one feeling reinforces and enriches the other.