The word 始终 is formed by combining two single-character words representing opposite ends of a temporal spectrum: 始 (shǐ), meaning "beginning" or "start", and 终 (zhōng), meaning "end" or "conclusion". By juxtaposing these two opposing concepts, the compound creates a new, holistic meaning that encompasses the entire duration from start to finish, thus conveying the sense of "from beginning to end" or "throughout". This formation follows a common pattern in Chinese where antonym pairing generates an abstract, encompassing idea.