The word 案例 is formed by combining two individual characters, each contributing a core meaning to create a new, composite concept. The first character, 案 (àn), originally refers to a "table" or "desk" but by extension means a "record", "file", or "legal case". The second character, 例 (lì), means "example", "precedent", or "instance". When fused, 案例 synthesizes these ideas to signify a specific, concrete "case example", an actual instance or documented occurrence (often from business, law, or study) that serves as a representative model or a reference point for analysis and understanding.