The Chinese word **焚烧** (fénshāo) is a compound verb formed by the combination of two characters with closely related meanings, a common method in Chinese word formation known as **synonym pairing**. The first character, **焚** (fén), inherently means "to burn" (often with a connotation of setting fire to something, like in a destructive or ritual context). The second character, **烧** (shāo), also means "to burn," but emphasizes the action or process of applying fire, as in cooking or igniting. When paired together, they reinforce and intensify each other to create a more vivid and formal term meaning "to burn completely; to incinerate or consume by fire," often used in contexts involving destruction, cremation, or large-scale burning.