The word "驸马" is formed by combining the character "驸", which originally referred to an auxiliary horse attached to a carriage, with "马", meaning horse. It derives from the historical title "驸马都尉", a Han Dynasty officer in charge of the emperor's secondary horses. This title was later commonly bestowed upon the husbands of princesses, leading "驸马" to specifically denote the emperor's son-in-law.