The word "吃惊" is formed through a vivid conceptual metaphor. It literally combines the character for "eat" (吃) with the character for "shock" or "fright" (惊), creating the image of someone unexpectedly "ingesting" or "consuming" a shock. This visual composition directly evokes the sudden, internalized, and often physically arresting sensation of being startled or surprised, as if the surprise itself has been taken into one's body.