The word "揠苗助长" is formed by sequentially combining four characters: "揠" meaning to pull up, "苗" meaning seedlings, "助" meaning to help, and "长" meaning to grow. It directly describes the action of pulling seedlings to aid their growth, originating from a fable where this literal act leads to the seedlings' death. Thus, the phrase is constructed as a straightforward representation of that specific narrative event.