The Chinese word 刺客 (cìkè), meaning "assassin", is a classic example of a compound word formed through semantic combination, where two meaningful characters unite to create a new, specific concept. The first character, 刺 (cì), carries the core meaning of "to stab" or "to assassinate", denoting the violent action. The second character, 客 (kè), literally means "guest" or "traveler", but in this context, it functions metaphorically to mean a "person" engaged in a specific activity or role, much like in words such as 旅客 (traveler) or 政客 (politician). Therefore, the term 刺客 literally and evocatively translates to "a stabbing person" or "one who carries out assassinations", historically referring to a hired or political killer operating with stealth and singular purpose.