The word "申请" is formed through the semantic combination of its two component characters: "申", which carries the core idea of stating, expressing, or laying out something formally, and "请", which means to request or ask. Together, they conceptually fuse into the act of "formally stating one's request", which is the essence of applying for something. This formation is a logical compound where the first character describes the manner (a formal declaration) and the second character provides the central action (making a request).