The word 挑选 is formed by combining two characters that each contribute a layer of meaning to create a single, nuanced concept. The first character, 挑 (tiāo), originally depicts a hand (扌) with a component suggesting a pointed tool, conveying the idea of picking something out with care, like poking or probing to select. The second character, 选 (xuǎn), itself combines the walking radical (辶) with a phonetic component, and carries the core meaning of choosing or electing. When placed together, 挑 intensifies and specifies 选; the compound doesn’t just mean "to choose", but evokes a more deliberate, hands-on process of sifting through options to pick out the best or most suitable ones, merging the physical act of picking with the mental act of choosing.