The word 涉及 is formed through the metaphorical combination of two vivid pictorial concepts: the character 涉 depicts "wading through water" (氵 [water] + 步 [step]), evoking the idea of stepping into or becoming involved in a matter, while 及 pictographically represents "a hand reaching from behind to catch a person", conveying the sense of extending to or making contact. Together, they create a compound whose meaning, "to involve", "to relate to", or "to touch upon", is derived from this blended imagery of stepping into a domain (涉) where one's influence or connection reaches out and makes contact (及) with other elements.