The word 报导 is formed by combining two meaningful components: 报 (bào), which carries the core idea of "reporting" or "informing", and 导 (dǎo), which contributes the sense of "guiding" or "transmitting". Together, they create a compound where the second element guides and specifies the first; it's not just any report, but specifically the transmission or conveyance of reported information, hence arriving at the meaning of "to cover (news)" or "news report". The formation is a conceptual fusion where both parts contribute essential aspects of the final, unified meaning.