The Chinese word 和平 (hépíng), meaning "peace", is formed through the conceptual fusion of two independent characters. The first character, 和, originally depicted a mouth with grain (suggesting harmony or accord in speech or relationship), and carries core meanings of harmony, gentleness, and togetherness. It is combined with 平, which visually represents a balanced, level surface and conveys ideas of calm, stability, and evenness. Together, they create a compound idea where 和 provides the social dimension of harmonious relations and 平 provides the environmental or situational dimension of calm stability, resulting in the comprehensive concept of "peace" as both a state of non-conflict and a condition of societal tranquility.