The word 身边 is formed by combining two characters that each convey a fundamental spatial concept: 身 (shēn), meaning one's own body or person, represents the self as a central reference point, while 边 (biān), meaning side or edge, denotes the immediate area adjacent to a boundary. Their combination visually and conceptually maps the idea of the space directly beside or surrounding one's own physical self, merging the core ("body") with its periphery ("edge") to create a single term for personal proximity.