The word 僵硬 is formed through the combination of two characters that visually and conceptually reinforce a single, intense state of physical rigidity. The first character, 僵, depicts a person (人) next to a border or framework (畺), conveying the idea of being stiff, motionless, or frozen in place. It is then paired with 硬, which means hard and unyielding, like stone. Together, they create a compound image where 僵 provides the condition of being locked and immobile, while 硬 supplies the tangible quality of that condition, resulting in a powerful description of something (like a muscle, body, or even a manner) that is both completely stiff and solidly hard.