The word "谗佞" is formed by combining two characters: "谗" means slander, constructed from the speech radical "讠" and the component "毚" which contributes to its meaning of malicious talk; "佞" means flattery, constructed from the person radical "亻" and the component "妄" indicating falsehood or deceit. Together, they create a compound word where each character contributes a related meaning of dishonest speech, specifically referring to slanderous and sycophantic behavior.