The word 会议 is formed through the conceptual combination of its two component characters: 会 (huì), which carries the core idea of "gathering" or "assembly", and 议 (yì), which conveys the notion of "discussion", "deliberation", or "exchange of opinions". Together, they semantically merge to create a single, unified concept meaning "meeting" or "conference", specifically denoting a formal gathering where people assemble for the primary purpose of holding discussions.