The word 薪水 (xīnshuǐ), meaning "salary", is formed through a vivid historical metaphor. It literally means "firewood and water", referring to the most basic daily necessities for cooking and sustenance. In ancient China, rather than receiving money, employees or servants were often provided with these essential supplies as a form of subsistence. Over time, the term evolved from denoting these tangible provisions to symbolizing the general means of livelihood, eventually becoming the standard word for monetary wages, preserving the original idea of compensation for fundamental living needs.