The word 陈述 is formed by combining two characters, 陈 (chén), which carries the core meaning of "to lay out" or "to arrange", and 述 (shù), which means "to recount" or "to narrate". It is a coordinated compound where each character contributes a semantically similar yet distinct aspect: 陈 focuses on the act of presenting or setting forth, while 述 emphasizes the act of telling or relating. Together, they merge into a single, cohesive concept meaning "to state" or "to declare", where the action of laying out information logically precedes and enables the action of narrating it clearly.