The word 花样 is formed by combining the character 花 (flower) with 样 (pattern, design, manner). It originates from the concrete, visual concept of an ornate floral design or decoration, such as that found on textiles or in crafts. This literal meaning of an intricate, decorative "flower pattern" then naturally extends metaphorically to represent any elaborate, showy, or cleverly varied form of a basic activity, like a gymnastic flourish or a skating move, and further extends to denote a deceptive or tricky scheme, all conceptually linked to the idea of an ornamental, non-essential addition to a simpler foundation.