The word "喜欢" is formed through the combination of two independent characters, each contributing a layer of meaning to create a new, composite idea. The first character, 喜 (xǐ), pictorially derived from a drum on a stand representing celebration, carries the core meaning of "joy" or "happiness". It is paired with 欢 (huān), a character associated with the sound of birds and meaning "joyous" or "exuberant". When placed together, they do not merely add but amplify and refine the concept, visually and semantically fusing into a single term expressing "to like" or "to delight in", where the dual imagery of celebration and lively joy encapsulates the feeling of fondness.