The word 全身而退 is formed by combining the character 全 (meaning "whole" or "entire") with 身 (meaning "body" or "self"), linked by the conjunctive particle 而 (which connects the condition to the action), followed by 退 (meaning "retreat" or "withdraw"). This structure directly creates the literal sense of "retreating with one's whole body", where 全身 describes the state of being unscathed, and 退 denotes the action, together conveying the idea of exiting a situation safely without loss or harm.