The word 原则 is formed through a conceptual combination where 原 (yuán), meaning "source", "origin", or "fundamental", is paired with 则 (zé), meaning "rule", "standard", or "norm". Together, they create a compound idea where the "origin" or "fundamental basis" of something provides the guiding "rule". Thus, the term conceptually denotes the foundational standards or fundamental tenets from which other rules or actions logically derive, encapsulating the idea of a guiding principle rooted in an original, authoritative source.