The word 实在 is formed through the conceptual fusion of its two component characters: 实, which conveys the ideas of solidity, fullness, truth, and genuineness (like a filled seed or fruit), and 在, which denotes existence, presence, and being located in reality. Together, they create a compound whose core meaning emerges from the philosophical idea of "true existence" or "concrete presence", where intrinsic, authentic qualities are perceived as being tangibly and verifiably present in the world or in a person's character.