The word 学习 (xuéxí, "to study/learn") is formed through the combination of two independent, meaningful characters that reinforce and refine a core concept. The first character, 学 (xué), originally depicted a child (子) beneath a roof (宀) with hands (臼) manipulating counting rods, conveying the idea of "acquiring knowledge". It is paired with 习 (xí), whose ancient form showed a bird's wings (羽) over a sunlit sky (日), representing the repeated practice or "drilling" necessary to master a skill. Together, they create a compound idea where the act of gaining theoretical understanding (学) is inherently linked to the process of practical repetition and application (习).