The word 整个 is formed through the combination of two distinct characters, each contributing a core concept to create a new, unified meaning. The first character, 整 (zhěng), carries the essential idea of "whole", "complete", or "entire". It is paired with 个 (gè), a highly common and general-purpose measure word that typically individualizes or singles out a noun. By fusing these elements, the construction moves beyond simply "one item" to conceptually frame that singled-out item in its totality; 个 provides the focus on a singular entity, while 整 comprehensively modifies it to mean that entire entity, forming a compound that means "the whole" or "the entire" thing.