The word 理解 is formed by combining two characters, each contributing a core conceptual layer to the idea of "understanding". The first character, 理, carries the fundamental meaning of "inner principle", "pattern", or "underlying reason", referring to the inherent logic or texture of a matter. The second, 解, means "to untie", "to loosen", or "to disentangle". Together, they create a powerful conceptual metaphor: to understand something is to mentally "untie" or "dissect" its intrinsic "patterns" or "principles", thereby resolving its complexities and arriving at clarity.