弓弦 (gōng xián) literally combines 弓 (gōng), meaning 'bow' — the weapon used for shooting arrows — and 弦 (xián), meaning 'string' or 'cord'. Together, they refer specifically to the taut string stretched between the two ends of a traditional bow, essential for storing and releasing energy when drawing and releasing an arrow. Historically vital in hunting, warfare, and archery sports, 弓弦 is a precise technical term rather than a general word for any string.

This compound appears most often in contexts related to traditional Chinese archery, martial arts (e.g., 射箭 shèjiàn), historical texts, or craftsmanship involving bows. While modern recreational archery often uses synthetic materials, 弓弦 retains its classical connotation and is rarely used metaphorically. It’s a concrete, countable noun — you might say 一根弓弦 (yī gēn gōng xián, 'one bowstring') — and does not function as a verb or adjective.