The word 名声 (míngshēng), meaning "reputation" or "fame", is formed by conceptually combining two foundational ideas: 名 (míng), which represents one's "name" or "identity", and 声 (shēng), which represents "sound" or "voice". It metaphorically pictures one's name (名) being carried aloud and disseminated like a sound (声) that travels far and wide, thereby creating the abstract notion of a public reputation, how one is spoken of and known by others.