The word 护照 (hùzhào) is formed by combining two characters, each contributing a key concept to create the complete meaning. The first character, 护 (hù), carries the core idea of "protect" or "guard". The second character, 照 (zhào), in this context means a certificate, license, or document (derived from its sense of "illuminate" as in to verify or make clear). When combined, they form the concept of a "protection certificate", that is, a document issued by a state to guard and verify the holder's identity and nationality for international travel, which we understand as a "passport".