The word 自信 is formed by combining two conceptual building blocks: 自 (zì), meaning "self" or "from oneself", and 信 (xìn), meaning "to believe", "to trust", or "faith". Together, they create a compound idea where the object of one's trust or belief is directed inward, conceptually forming the meaning of "self-trust" or "self-belief". It is a direct and intuitive pictorial merging of the notion of the "self" with the notion of "faith", resulting in the abstract quality of confidence.