The word 科学家 (kēxuéjiā, scientist) is formed through a logical, meaning-based assembly of three distinct characters: 科 (kē), denoting a branch of study or discipline; 学 (xué), meaning to study or learning; and 家 (jiā), indicating a specialist or master in a particular field. The combination first creates 科学 (kēxué), the concept of "science" (the systematic study of a discipline), to which 家 (jiā) is appended, effectively identifying a person who is an expert practitioner or master of that systematic study. Thus, the formation moves conceptually from "discipline" to "systematic study of a discipline" to finally "one who masters systematic study", building the composite idea of a scientist.