The word "发财" is formed by combining two conceptual ideas into a single, potent unit of meaning. The first character, 发 (fā), carries the core notion of "expanding", "issuing forth", or "flourishing", like the growth of a plant or the emitting of light. The second, 财 (cái), directly means "wealth" or "money". Together, they create a vivid, active metaphor where wealth is not simply possessed, but is envisioned as something that dynamically grows, spreads, and blossoms. This formation captures the desire for prosperity as an active, flourishing process rather than a static state, making it a central and auspicious concept in cultural expressions of success and good fortune.