The word 无赖 is formed by combining the character 无, meaning "without" or "to lack", with the character 赖, which in this context conveys "to rely on for sustenance" or "to have a proper basis". Together, they literally denote "having nothing to rely on", which historically referred to someone without means of support, and over time evolved to describe a person who, due to such lack, behaves in a shameless, dishonest, or rascally manner.