The word 忘却 (wàngquè), meaning "to forget" or "oblivion", is a compound formed through the combination of two synonymous or reinforcing characters. The first character, 忘 (wàng), independently means "to forget". The second character, 却 (què), carries core meanings of "to retreat" or "to decline", but in this context, it acts as an intensifying complement that suggests "to cast away" or "to let go". Together, they create a verb where 却 reinforces and extends the action of 忘, resulting in a nuanced meaning closer to "to completely forget and let go from one's mind". This structure exemplifies a common pattern in Chinese word formation where two characters with related meanings are paired to create a more specific or emphatic concept.