The word 独家 is formed by combining the character 独 (dú), meaning "alone" or "sole", with the character 家 (jiā), meaning "household" or "family". Conceptually, it paints a picture of something being confined to or originating from a single household, which then metaphorically extends to signify exclusivity, as if an item, right, or piece of information is held by one entity alone and not shared with others. The formation directly evokes the sense of a private, non-public possession unique to one source.