The word 嫌疑 (xiányí) is formed through a classic Chinese compounding process where two independent characters, each carrying a related core meaning, are combined to create a new, more specific concept. The character 嫌 carries notions of suspicion and ill-will, while 疑 means doubt and uncertainty. When fused, they don't simply add together; they conceptually merge and intensify, with 疑 reinforcing and specifying the skeptical aspect of 嫌. The result is a single, unified idea, "suspicion" in the sense of a doubtful, incriminating implication, that is more nuanced than either character alone.