The compound word "兜圈子" is formed through a metaphorical extension from a literal action to an idiomatic expression. Literally, the verb "兜" (dōu) means "to move in a circle" or "to go around," and "圈子" (quānzi) means "circle" or "loop," so the phrase initially describes the physical act of circling around a place. Through semantic shift, this concrete image evolved into the common figurative meaning of "to beat around the bush" or "to talk in circles," where someone avoids addressing a topic directly by taking a circular, indirect path in conversation, just as one might walk in circles physically.