The word 工程 is formed by combining two independent characters, each contributing a core idea to create a new, unified concept. 工 (gōng) originally represents "work", "labor", or "craftsmanship", denoting human skill and effort. 程 (chéng) carries the meaning of a "journey", "course", "procedure", or "regulated order". When fused, the term conceptually visualizes work not as a simple task, but as a systematic, planned, and often large-scale undertaking that follows a defined process from start to finish, hence its meaning of "engineering" or a major "project".