The word 高手 is formed through a direct and vivid conceptual metaphor. It combines 高 (gāo), meaning "high" or "tall", with 手 (shǒu), meaning "hand". Together, they create the image of a "high hand", which is not a literal description but a figurative one, suggesting a person whose skill or ability in a particular craft, art, or game is elevated above the ordinary, as if their very hand operates on a superior, more masterful plane. It visualizes expertise as a physical height, implying someone who stands above the common level.