The word 滑冰 is formed by combining two characters that each depict a core aspect of the activity: 滑 (huá), meaning "to slide" or "slippery", directly conveys the gliding motion, while 冰 (bīng), meaning "ice", specifies the surface on which this sliding occurs. Together, they create a literal and intuitive image, "sliding on ice", that immediately and vividly represents the act of ice skating.