The word 环境 (environment) is formed by combining two characters, each contributing to the overall meaning. The first character, 环 (huán), originally depicts a circular jade pendant and carries the core idea of "to encircle" or "to surround". The second character, 境 (jìng), means "border", "boundary", or "area". Thus, when combined, 环境 conceptually creates the idea of "the surrounding borders" or "the conditions that encircle a space", perfectly encapsulating the modern meaning of the physical and social surroundings that define an environment.