The word 鼓舞 is formed through the metaphorical combination of two concrete actions: 鼓 (gǔ), meaning to beat a drum, and 舞 (wǔ), meaning to dance. It visually evokes the vibrant, energizing scene of drumbeats inspiring and propelling dance movements. This image is then abstracted to convey the sense of something (like news or a speech) acting as that stirring drumbeat, thereby lifting spirits, boosting morale, and motivating people into action, hence its meaning "to inspire" or "to encourage".