The word 同伙 is formed by combining two characters: 同, meaning "same" or "together", and 伙, which originally referred to a cooking fire or hearth, later extending to mean a meal-sharing group or partnership. Together, they create a concept of individuals bound by a shared purpose or activity, metaphorically picturing people gathered around the same fire or pot, implying complicity and joint involvement, often in a collusive or conspiratorial context.