The word 功能 is formed by combining two characters, each contributing a core conceptual meaning to create a new, unified idea. The first character, 功 (gōng), carries connotations of "achievement", "merit", or "work", implying a purpose or effective result. The second character, 能 (néng), fundamentally means "ability", "capability", or "power". When merged, they conceptually fuse into the notion of an "ability that achieves a purpose" or a "capability for effective work", which is precisely the meaning of "function" or "functionality". The formation is thus a logical semantic compound where the two ideas are integrated to define a specific, useful capacity.