The word 百折不挠 is formed through the literal combination of its four characters: 百 (hundred) and 折 (bend) together signify "a hundred bends" or numerous setbacks, while 不 (not) and 挠 (bend or yield) together mean "not yielding". This juxtaposition creates a compound idiom where the first two characters depict repeated adversity, and the last two characters assert resilience, directly constructing the meaning of persisting through many difficulties without giving up.