The word 危险 (wēixiǎn), meaning "danger", is formed through a conceptual combination where both characters contribute a closely related aspect of the same core idea. The first character, 危 (wēi), carries the inherent meaning of "perilous", "precarious", or "high", evoking a state of instability or being at a brink. The second character, 险 (xiǎn), means "dangerous", "risky", or describes a treacherous physical pass, emphasizing the hazardous nature of a situation. Together, they create a compound where each element reinforces and deepens the other, merging to form a single, intensified concept of "danger" that is more complete than either character alone, encompassing both the unstable, looming threat (危) and the actual, actionable hazard (险).