The word 僵尸 is formed by combining two characters: 僵, meaning "stiff" or "rigid", and 尸, meaning "corpse". It is a direct, descriptive compound that visually and conceptually paints the picture of a rigid, unmoving dead body. This concept originates from ancient Chinese folklore and myths, where it referred to a corpse stiffened by death or supernatural force. The term was later adopted and its meaning adapted to correspond with the Western concept of the reanimated, hopping vampire of popular culture, effectively merging the ancient image of a stiff corpse with the modern idea of a mobile, predatory monster.