The word 马桶 (mǎtǒng, meaning "toilet") is formed through a direct historical metaphor. It literally combines "马" (horse), referring to the horse-shaped frame or the use with horse-drawn carriages, and "桶" (bucket), indicating the portable wooden tub container. The term originated from ancient portable toilet seats shaped like a saddle or used on journeys, where the waste was collected in a bucket-like vessel, and over time, the name persisted even as the design evolved into the modern, stationary fixture.