The word "撕扯" is formed by combining the characters "撕" and "扯", both representing manual actions. "撕" means to tear or rip, composed of the hand radical "扌" indicating hand-related motion, with "斯" serving as a phonetic component. "扯" means to pull or tug, also featuring the hand radical "扌" for action, with "止" historically contributing to its sound. Together, they create a compound verb that denotes the concurrent actions of tearing and pulling, focusing on forceful separation by hand.