The word "褒扬" is formed by combining the characters "褒" and "扬". "褒" means to praise or commend, often with connotations of honor, while "扬" means to raise, uplift, or spread. Together, they create a compound word where "褒" provides the core meaning of praise, and "扬" intensifies it by suggesting the act of promoting or publicly acknowledging that praise, resulting in the overall meaning of to commend or extol.