The word 默契 is formed by combining two characters whose core meanings visually and conceptually merge to create a new, abstract idea. The first character, 默, depicts a black dog (originally suggesting silence or stillness), and carries the sense of "silent" or "unspoken". The second, 契, shows a knife carving notches into wood, representing a contract or pact. Together, they fuse into the concept of an "unspoken pact", a deeply understood, wordless agreement or harmony that exists between parties as if it were formally carved in place, yet never verbally stated.