The formation of the word 质疑 is a conceptual fusion where the character 质 (zhì), meaning to question or confront with the intent of establishing substance or truth, is combined with 疑 (yí), meaning doubt or suspicion. This creates a compound idea that moves beyond simple questioning; it represents the active process of challenging or interrogating an established fact, statement, or authority based on underlying skepticism. The structure is intuitive, placing the action (质) upon the state of mind (疑), effectively building the meaning "to call into question". It reflects a method of thought where doubt is not passive but is instead used as a tool for rigorous examination.