The character 欢 (huān) carries the meaning of "joyous" or "happy", while 迎 (yíng) means "to meet", "to receive", or "to welcome". The compound 欢迎 is formed conceptually by combining these ideas into a single action: the act of receiving someone with joy, thus creating the meaning "to welcome". It is a metaphorical synthesis where the emotional state (joy) modifies and gives warmth to the physical action (receiving), resulting in the holistic concept of a heartfelt greeting.