The word 流窜犯 is formed by combining the characters 流, meaning to flow or drift, which conveys moving from place to place; 窜, meaning to flee or scurry, indicating evasive or stealthy movement; and 犯, meaning criminal or offender. Together, these characters sequentially describe a person who is a criminal that moves frequently and secretively to avoid apprehension, thus constituting the term for a roaming fugitive.