The word 驾驶 is formed by combining two characters, each contributing to the overall meaning of "to drive/pilot". The first character, 驾 (jià), originally depicted a horse under a yoke pulling a carriage, conveying the core idea of controlling a vehicle. The second character, 驶 (shǐ), incorporates the "horse" radical (马) with the phonetic component 史 (shǐ), and its meaning relates to swift movement or speed. When joined, they create a compound where 驾 provides the notion of操控 (operating/controlling) and 驶 emphasizes the action of motion, together precisely describing the act of driving a vehicle.