The word 居住 is formed through the complementary combination of two characters with closely related meanings. The first character, 居, primarily conveys the idea of dwelling or residing in a place, often with a sense of settlement. The second character, 住, emphasizes the action of living, staying, or halting at a location. When paired, they create a single, cohesive concept that merges the state of residing with the act of living there, resulting in a comprehensive term meaning "to inhabit" or "to live (in a place)". This formation is a classic example of a synergistic compound, where two near-synonyms reinforce and refine a shared core meaning.