The word 舞蹈, meaning "dance", is formed by combining two distinct characters that each contribute a specific aspect of the concept. The first character, 舞, is pictographic in origin, depicting a dancer's posture with outstretched arms holding ornamental objects and legs in motion, capturing the visual form and performance of dance. The second character, 蹈, adds the dimension of movement and technique, built from the "foot" radical (⻊) combined with a phonetic component (舀), directly evoking the act of stepping, stamping, or rhythmic footwork. Together, they create a holistic idea: 舞 represents the artistic expression and upper body form, while 蹈 provides the foundational lower body movement, merging into a single term that encapsulates dance as a complete physical art.