The word "祈祷" is formed by combining two characters: "祈" meaning to entreat, which consists of the radical "示" indicating association with spirits or deities and the component "斤" primarily serving as a phonetic element; and "祷" meaning to pray, which also uses the radical "示" and incorporates "寿" as a phonetic component that additionally carries semantic connotations of longevity. Together, these characters reinforce the concept of prayer through their shared radical and complementary meanings.