The word "社会" (shèhuì, meaning "society") is formed through the conceptual combination of two ancient characters. "社" (shè) originally represented an altar for the earth god, signifying a sacred, communal gathering place for a local group. "会" (huì) depicted a gathering of people under a roof, conveying the idea of an assembly or meeting. Thus, the compound merges the fundamental notion of a shared, foundational community space with the active principle of people coming together, creating the modern abstract concept of the complex, interconnected human collective we call "society".