The word 四处 is formed by combining the character 四 (sì), meaning "four", with the character 处 (chù), meaning "place" or "location". Conceptually, it merges the idea of the four cardinal directions or the four points of the compass with the idea of a general location, creating a new, holistic meaning of "all around", "in all directions", or "everywhere". It is an example of how Chinese compounds often build abstract, comprehensive concepts from concrete, elemental characters.