The word 无耻 is formed through a direct and powerful conceptual fusion: by combining the character 无, meaning "without" or "to lack", with the character 耻, meaning "shame" or "a sense of disgrace", it creates a compound that visually and intellectually depicts the absence of a fundamental human moral boundary. This formation doesn't just describe a simple state of being unashamed; it constructs an archetype of a person who operates beyond the very psychological and social mechanism of shame, thereby implying a profound moral failing or a brazen, intentional disregard for ethical norms. The meaning emerges from the stark negation of a core virtue, resulting in a term that carries strong judgment and condemnation.