The word 福利 is formed by combining two independent characters, each contributing a core meaning to create a new, unified concept. 福 (fú) originally depicted an altar with wine, symbolizing "blessing" or "good fortune", while 利 (lì), showing grain cut by a blade, conveys "benefit" or "advantage". Their combination synthetically merges these ideas into the compound meaning of "well-being benefits" or "welfare", where the whole represents the advantageous conditions that contribute to happiness and prosperity.