The word **倒退** is a compound formed by combining two characters with related meanings: **倒** (dào), which carries the sense of "to reverse," "to fall," or "to pour," and **退** (tuì), which means "to retreat," "to move backward," or "to decline." Together, they create a synergistic meaning that is more specific than either character alone, conveying the concept of "to move backwards," "to regress," or "to revert." This formation follows the common Chinese lexical pattern where two verbs or directional morphemes are combined to express a more precise or intensified action—in this case, a metaphorical or literal backward movement indicating a decline or return to a previous, often worse, state.