The word 游戏 (yóuxì, meaning "game" or "play") is formed through the meaningful combination of two independent characters. The first character, 游 (yóu), originally depicted a person under a banner, conveying ideas of moving about, traveling, or wandering freely. The second, 戏 (xì), derives from imagery related to drums and weapons, historically associated with theatrical performance, play-acting, or amusement. When placed together, their concepts fuse to create a composite idea that captures the essence of recreational activity: the free, fluid movement of 游 combined with the playful, performative act of 戏, ultimately representing the broad concept of play or a game.