The word 不像话 is formed by directly combining the character 不 (not) to negate 像 (to resemble), which then modifies 话 (speech), resulting in the literal meaning "not resembling speech". This literal construction serves as an idiomatic expression where the characters collectively imply a figurative sense, indicating that something is unreasonable, improper, or deviates from accepted norms, as if it falls outside the bounds of sensible discourse.