神经 (shén jīng) literally combines 神 (shén, 'spirit' or 'divine') and 经 (jīng, 'channel' or 'meridian'), reflecting the traditional Chinese conceptualization of nerves as vital pathways for life energy. In modern usage, it refers specifically to biological nerves — the specialized cells and fibers that transmit signals between the brain, spinal cord, and body parts. It is used in both medical contexts (e.g., 'nerve damage') and everyday expressions (e.g., 'nervous system').

The word appears in compound terms like 神经系统 (shén jīng xì tǒng, 'nervous system'), 神经病 (shén jīng bìng, 'neurological disorder' — though colloquially used informally for 'crazy'), and 神经质 (shén jīng zhì, 'neurotic'). While rooted in classical physiology, its usage today aligns closely with Western biomedical terminology in clinical and scientific settings.