The word 认真 is formed by combining two individual characters, each contributing its core meaning to create a new, composite idea. The first character, 认 (rèn), carries the fundamental sense of "to recognize" or "to acknowledge". The second character, 真 (zhēn), means "true", "real", or "genuine". Their combination creates a literal concept of "recognizing (as) true" or "acknowledging the genuine", which figuratively extends to describe an attitude of taking matters seriously, being earnest, conscientious, or thorough, as if distinguishing and committing to what is real and important.