The word "而已" is formed through the conceptual combination of its two classical components: "而", which acts as a connective particle often implying a turning point or a simple continuation, and "已", which means "to stop" or "already". When joined, they create a unified adverbial expression that literally conveys the idea of "and then it stops", evolving into a modern term used to downplay or set a limit, meaning "that is all" or "nothing more than". Its formation is essentially the fusion of a linking element with a verb of cessation to produce a new, bounded conceptual whole.