The word 系列 is formed by combining two characters, each contributing a core semantic idea to create a new, composite meaning. The first character, 系 (xì), fundamentally means "to connect" or "a system", conveying the idea of linkage or relation. The second character, 列 (liè), means "to arrange in order" or "a row", providing the notion of sequence and arrangement. When combined, the conceptual imagery is of multiple items that are connected or related (系) and arranged in an orderly sequence (列), thus forming the holistic meaning of a "series" or a "set" of connected things in a sequence.