The word 百无聊赖 is formed through the literal combination of its four characters: 百 (bǎi, meaning "hundred" but used here to indicate "all" or "completely"), 无 (wú, meaning "without"), 聊 (liáo, in this context meaning "something to rely on for interest or pastime"), and 赖 (lài, meaning "to depend on"). These characters together create the direct meaning of "completely without anything to depend on for amusement", which expresses a state of profound boredom.