The word "自责" is formed by combining the character "自", meaning "self", with the character "责", meaning "blame" or "reproach". This direct juxtaposition creates a compound where "自" specifies the direction of the action, indicating that the blame is inwardly directed toward oneself. Thus, the two characters merge conceptually to express the idea of self-reproach or holding oneself accountable, illustrating a common Chinese word-formation method where meaningful units are paired to convey a nuanced meaning through their literal combination.