The word 常见 is formed by combining two individual characters, each contributing its core meaning to create a new, unified concept. The first character, 常 (cháng), carries the idea of "constant" or "frequent". The second character, 见 (jiàn), means "to see" or "to observe". Their combination follows a logical, descriptive pattern where 常 modifies 见; thus, the compound literally and conceptually means "frequently seen", which naturally extends to the meaning of "common" or "ordinary".