The word 讨厌 is formed by combining two characters whose core meanings create a vivid conceptual metaphor. The first character, 讨 (tǎo), carries the fundamental idea of "to ask for" or "to demand", implying an active, often bothersome, seeking of attention. The second, 厌 (yàn), means "to be weary of", "to detest", or "to be full to satiation". Together, they paint a picture of an action (讨) that is so persistent or intrusive that it provokes a feeling of weariness or disgust (厌), thus naturally arriving at the composite meaning of "to dislike" or "to find annoying". It is the fusion of an action and its emotionally saturated consequence.