The word 质量 is formed by combining two independent characters, each carrying a core conceptual meaning, to create a new, unified concept. The first character, 质 (zhì), represents the inherent nature, substance, or essence of an entity, its fundamental character. The second, 量 (liàng), represents measurement, quantity, or magnitude. Their fusion does not simply list two attributes but synthesizes them to express the integrated concept of "quality", which in a modern scientific and engineering sense is understood as the measurable nature or essential characteristics of an object, effectively blending the idea of "what it is" with "how much of it there is".