The word **蹊跷 (qīqiāo)**, meaning "odd" or "suspicious," is a disyllabic compound formed through semantic combination, where each character contributes to the overall meaning. The first character, **蹊 (qī)**, originally means a footpath or trail, while the second, **跷 (qiāo)**, means to raise (a foot) or to step unevenly. Combined, they create a vivid metaphor: the image of an **uneven or raised path** that is irregular and difficult to navigate, which is then abstracted to describe any situation, event, or behavior that seems strange, off-balance, or not quite right. This formation is a classic example of how Chinese compounds often build figurative meaning from concrete, literal components.