The word 刻薄 is formed through the vivid combination of two concrete images: 刻 (kè), meaning "to carve" or "engrave", evokes the sharp, biting precision of a blade or tool, while 薄 (bó), meaning "thin" or "meager", suggests something lacking in substance or depth, like a thin slice or a shallow kindness. When fused, these characters create a powerful metaphor for a personality or speech that is cuttingly sharp and ungenerously thin, portraying a character that is harsh, unkind, and morally stingy.