The word 搜集 is formed by combining two characters, each contributing a core action to the overall concept. The first character, 搜, carries the meaning of "to search", "to look for", or "to probe", implying an active and sometimes thorough process of seeking. The second character, 集, means "to gather", "to collect", or "to assemble", focusing on the act of bringing items together. When merged, 搜 and 集 create a compound idea where the action of searching for (搜) seamlessly precedes and enables the action of gathering together (集), forming the complete sense of "to seek out and collect", as one might do with information, specimens, or data.