The Chinese word 自觉 (zìjué) is formed through the combination of two meaningful characters: 自 (zì), meaning "self," and 觉 (jué), meaning "to perceive," "to feel," or "to become aware." Together, they create a compound word whose meaning is derived from the logical relationship of its parts—literally "self-aware." This structure reflects a common pattern in Chinese morphology where two independent, free morphemes are joined to form a new abstract concept, in this case denoting consciousness of one's own state or actions, and by extension, the qualities of being conscientious or self-motivated without external prompting.