The word 神经 (shénjīng, meaning "nerve" or "nervous system") is formed by combining two conceptual characters: 神 (shén), which originally conveyed "spirit", "mind", or "divine consciousness", and 经 (jīng), meaning "warp thread", "channel", or "classic pathway". Together, they create a metaphorical compound meaning the "channels of the spirit/mind", reflecting the traditional understanding of nerves as the physical pathways through which consciousness, sensation, and mental function flow and communicate throughout the body.