The Chinese word "恶作剧" (prank) is formed through the conceptual combination of its three characters: 恶 (è), which conveys "evil" or "bad", 作 (zuò), meaning "to do" or "make", and 剧 (jù), indicating "drama" or "play". Together, they create a vivid literal image of "evil doing drama", effectively capturing the essence of a mischievous act that is staged or performed with playful, often harmless, negative intent. This formation metaphorically frames a prank as a small, theatrical performance meant to surprise or deceive, blending notions of mild malice with dramatic execution.