The word 篝火 (gōuhuǒ), meaning "campfire" or "bonfire", is a compound word formed through semantic combination. The first character, 篝, originally depicted a bamboo cage or frame used to cover or contain something. The second character, 火, simply means "fire". Historically, 篝火 referred specifically to a fire kept burning within such a bamboo framework, often for heating, cooking, or signaling. Over time, the term generalized to denote any outdoor, open fire for warmth or gathering, with the "篝" component evoking the image of a fire contained or built up within a structured pile, thus forming a complete concept from its descriptive parts.