The word 批评 is formed through the conceptual combination of its two constituent characters. The first character, 批 (pī), carries the fundamental idea of "judging", "commenting on", or "annotating", often with a connotation of pointing out or touching upon a subject. The second character, 评 (píng), means "to evaluate", "to discuss", or "to judge". When merged, the compound word synthesizes these ideas into a single, more nuanced concept: the act of critically analyzing or evaluating something (often pointing out faults or shortcomings) and then formally articulating that judgment. Thus, the formation is not merely additive but integrative, creating a term for structured, evaluative critique that is more specific than either character alone.