The word **受罪** is a compound formed through a verb-object construction, where the verb **受** (shòu, meaning "to receive," "to undergo," or "to endure") is combined with the object **罪** (zuì, meaning "sin," "crime," or "punishment"). Literally, it reads as "to receive punishment/suffering." Over time, this literal sense evolved into a common idiomatic expression meaning "to have a miserable or hard time," "to suffer," or "to endure hardship," effectively capturing the concept of being subjected to an unpleasant or painful experience, much like one would endure a penalty.