The word 应付 is formed by combining two characters, each contributing a core action to create a blended meaning. 应 (yìng) fundamentally conveys responding or answering to an external demand or situation. 付 (fù) carries the sense of handing over, delivering, or dealing with something. When merged, the concept evolves into the idea of "responding to a situation by dealing with it", often implying a managed, sometimes minimal or perfunctory, engagement to meet that demand, hence translating as "to cope with" or "to handle".