The Chinese word 庆祝 is formed through the combination of two complementary characters, each with ancient pictorial origins related to communal joy and ceremony. The first character, 庆 (qìng), in its earliest form depicted a person's heart with a deer, symbolizing the bringing of gifts and sincere, auspicious congratulations. The second, 祝 (zhù), originally showed a person kneeling before an altar, representing the act of praying and invoking blessings. Together, they merge the concrete concept of gift-giving and congratulation with the spiritual act of prayer and well-wishing, creating a unified concept of "celebration" that encompasses both the material and ritual expressions of joy for a happy event.