The word 小学 is formed by combining two individual characters: 小 (xiǎo), meaning "small", and 学 (xué), meaning "study" or "learning". When joined, they create a new, fixed concept where the "small" describes the foundational or elementary stage of the "learning" process. This is not simply a temporary descriptive phrase but a fused compound that directly and conventionally signifies the institution of "primary school", representing a complete, unified idea from its constituent parts.