The word "修养" is formed by combining the character "修", which means to cultivate, repair, or improve through active effort, with the character "养", which means to nurture, raise, or sustain. Together, they create a compound word where "修" emphasizes the aspect of personal refinement or study, and "养" adds the dimension of nurturing or fostering, resulting in a term that denotes the cultivation and development of one's character, morals, or abilities.