The Chinese word **缠身** (chánshēn) is a verb-object compound formed by combining the verb **缠** (chán), meaning "to wind around," "to entangle," or "to pester," with the noun **身** (shēn), meaning "body" or "oneself." Literally, it paints a vivid image of something physically winding around or binding the body. Figuratively, this construction extends the meaning to describe a state where someone is metaphorically "tied up" or persistently afflicted by something, typically used to express being plagued by illnesses, troubles, debts, or busyness that one cannot shake off, as in **疾病缠身** (jíbìng chánshēn) or **公务缠身** (gōngwù chánshēn).