The word 按照 is formed through the structural combination of two individual characters, 按 (àn, meaning "to press" or "to follow") and 照 (zhào, meaning "to shine" or "to illuminate"), where their semantic meanings merge metaphorically to create a new, unified concept. The formation follows a common Chinese compound pattern where 按 provides the core action of "following" or "adhering to", while 照 contributes the notion of a "reference" or "guiding principle", as if following the illumination of a standard; together, they produce the combined meaning of "according to" or "in accordance with", where the whole meaning is a logical synthesis of its parts.