The word 瘫痪 is formed through the conceptual combination of two characters, each contributing a layer of meaning to create a single, vivid idea. The first character, 瘫 (tān), primarily conveys the state of being physically disabled, prostrate, or paralyzed. The second, 痪 (huàn), deepens and specifies this condition, carrying the sense of being crippled, immobilized, or suffering from a debilitating illness. When placed together, they do not represent two separate ailments but fuse into a compound that intensifies the image of a complete physical collapse or loss of function, metaphorically extending to any system that has completely broken down and ceased to operate.