The word "料峭" is formed by combining the character "料", which in this context contributes a sense of estimation or condition, with "峭", meaning steep or sharp, to jointly depict a piercing, biting cold, specifically referring to chilly spring weather. This compound arises from the semantic fusion of both characters, where "峭" conveys the sharpness of the cold and "料" modifies it to create a fixed term for this specific type of climate.