The word 护理 is formed by combining two conceptual building blocks: 护 (hù), which carries the core idea of "to protect", "to guard", or "to shield", and 理 (lǐ), which contributes the notion of "to manage", "to put in order", or "to tend to". Together, they conceptually merge into a single, unified idea that means "to protect and tend to", which naturally embodies the modern concept of nursing or caregiving. It is not merely a sum of parts, but a fusion where tending (理) is performed through a protective, watchful action (护).