The word 实习 is formed by combining two individual characters, each contributing a core meaning to create a new, unified concept. The first character, 实 (shí), carries the meaning of "real", "actual", or "practical". The second character, 习 (xí), means "to practice", "to exercise", or "to learn". When fused, the compound literally conveys the idea of "practical learning" or "real-world practice", perfectly encapsulating the concept of an internship or traineeship where theoretical knowledge is applied in an actual working environment.