The word "害羞" is formed by combining two characters that together create a vivid conceptual image. The first character, "害", in this context carries an ancient sense of "feeling" or "being affected by" a state, often an uneasy one. The second character, "羞", means shame or embarrassment. When merged, they literally depict the condition of "being affected by shame", perfectly capturing the inward, self-conscious, and blushing feeling of shyness or bashfulness.