The word 一向 is formed by combining two fundamental characters to create a new, abstract meaning. The first character, 一 (yī), means "one" or "single", representing singularity and unity. The second character, 向 (xiàng), means "direction" or "to face toward", representing orientation or a facing. When fused, the concept shifts from a literal "single direction" to a figurative sense of a singular, unvarying course over time. Thus, the formation captures the idea of something that has consistently faced one way, leading to its modern meaning of "always", "all along", or "consistently" in regard to time or habit.