The word 至少 is formed through the direct conceptual combination of its two component characters: 至 (zhì), which carries the core meaning of "to arrive at" or "to reach", and 少 (shǎo), meaning "few" or "little". When combined, they create a logical, spatial metaphor of "reaching the point of fewness", which inherently establishes a lower boundary or minimum threshold. Thus, the formation is not arbitrary but a literal fusion where 至 sets a directional endpoint and 少 defines the qualitative nature of that endpoint, resulting in the integrated meaning of "at least".