The Chinese word "生存" is formed by combining two individual characters, each with its own core meaning, to create a compound that expresses a unified concept. The first character, "生", fundamentally means "life" or "to be born", representing the origin and state of being alive. The second character, "存", carries the meaning of "to exist", "to preserve", or "to sustain". When joined, these characters sequentially and synergistically depict the process and condition of maintaining life, from its inception to its continued existence, thus forming the holistic idea of "survival" or "subsistence".