The word "犹豫" (yóuyù), meaning "to hesitate", is formed through a classical process where two separate characters, each with its own ancient meaning, are combined to create a single expressive concept. Originally, "犹" referred to a kind of cautious monkey or weasel, and "豫" referred to a large, slow-moving elephant; both animals were proverbial in ancient texts for their characteristic wariness and deliberateness. By pairing them, the term evokes the image of an animal nervously looking back and forth or moving tentatively, perfectly capturing the restless, back-and-forth nature of indecision. Thus, the formation is not literal but a poetic and metaphorical fusion, where the perceived behavioral traits of two creatures merge into one abstract idea of hesitation.