The word **纠结 (jiūjié)** is formed through the compounding of two semantically similar characters, each contributing to an intensified metaphorical meaning. The character **纠 (jiū)** originally depicted twisted silk threads (from the silk radical 纟), conveying notions of entanglement, correction, or gathering. The character **结 (jié)**, also containing the silk radical, fundamentally means to knot, tie, or weave together. When combined, **纠结** literally evokes the image of strands being tightly intertwined and knotted. This vivid physical metaphor extends to abstract meanings, describing a state of being emotionally, mentally, or situationally entangled, conflicted, or unable to resolve a complex issue, thus capturing the sense of being "tied up in knots."