The word 激励 is formed by combining two distinct characters, each contributing a core concept to create a unified, composite meaning. The first character, 激 (jī), carries the sense of "to stir up", "to arouse", or "to excite", like water being agitated. The second character, 励 (lì), means "to encourage", "to strive", or "to exert". When paired, they merge into a single concept where the act of arousing (激) one's inner drive or emotions directly leads to and fuels the act of striving or encouraging (励) forward, thus forming the complete idea of "to motivate" or "to inspire".