The word 对比 is formed through the conceptual combination of its two component characters: 对 (duì), which carries the core idea of facing, pairing, or being in opposition, and 比 (bǐ), which fundamentally means to compare, to measure, or to set side-by-side. The formation works by first invoking the state of having two distinct entities placed in a facing or opposing relationship (对), and then applying the action of examining them in relation to each other to highlight similarities and differences (比). Thus, the compound naturally emerges from this sequential logic, setting up a paired opposition for the explicit purpose of comparative examination, to encapsulate the single integrated concept of "contrast" or "comparison".