a pixel represents an "area"... aka a square location
now each "area" (aka, pixel) has an 'area' (ie square meters).
so the pixel count represents the "areas" that have those combinations, … say 10 pixels. if each pixel has an area of 3m x 3m, then the 'area' is 90 meters squared.
clear as mud, but rasters are represented by square pixels (usually), each pixel has an area and the total area of an attribute or combination of attributes if 'combined' represents the places where the combination occurs and the 'area' with planar units.