The word 完蛋 is formed through a vivid metaphorical image from daily life. It literally combines 完 (wán), meaning "to finish" or "to be over", with 蛋 (dàn), meaning "egg". The term evokes the concrete, catastrophic image of an egg being smashed or broken, an irreversible event where the fragile, once-intact vessel is utterly ruined, its contents spilled and its potential for life destroyed. This visual metaphor was extended to describe any situation or person that is completely finished, doomed, or wrecked beyond repair, capturing a sense of total and often abrupt failure.