The word 沿着 is formed by combining the character 沿, which means "to follow along" or "along the edge of", with the suffix 着, which attaches to verbs to indicate a continuous or ongoing state of action. Therefore, 沿着 literally fuses the concept of "being along" a path or line with a grammatical sense of durative aspect, creating a single unit that expresses the idea of "going along" or "following the course of" something in a sustained manner.