The word 喜极而泣 is formed by combining four characters: 喜 (xǐ), meaning "joy"; 极 (jí), meaning "extreme"; 而 (ér), a conjunction indicating a resultant transition; and 泣 (qì), meaning "to cry". These characters are sequenced to create a cause-and-effect relationship, where extreme joy directly leads to the act of crying, thus conveying the meaning of being overwhelmed with happiness to the point of tears.