The word "实际" is formed through the semantic combination of its two constituent characters. The first character, "实" (shí), carries the core meaning of "solid", "true", or "fact", conveying substance and reality. The second character, "际" (jì), originally meaning "border" or "junction", extends to signify "scope", "situation", or "the realm of". When fused, the concept evolves from the concrete idea of a "solid border" or "factual realm" to the abstract, unified notion of "the concrete situation" or "practical reality", effectively creating a new compound meaning for what is actual, real, or practical.