The word 隔离 is formed by combining two independent characters, each contributing a layer of meaning to create a unified concept. The first character, 隔 (gé), primarily conveys the idea of a physical barrier, separation, or partition, as in a wall or a divide. The second character, 离 (lí), carries the core meaning of leaving, parting, or being distant from. When joined, 隔离 semantically compounds these ideas to express the action and state of "separating and keeping apart", emphasizing both the act of creating a division and the resulting state of distance or removal.