The word 阅读 is formed by combining two semantically related characters, each contributing a specific aspect of meaning to create a broader, unified concept. The first character, 阅 (yuè), carries the core idea of "to peruse" or "to inspect", often with a connotation of reviewing text. The second character, 读 (dú), means "to read aloud" or "to recite". When joined, they complement each other to express the comprehensive activity of reading, encompassing both the silent, visual inspection of text (阅) and the active process of pronouncing or comprehending it (读).