The Chinese word 玷污 (diànwū) is a compound formed through the semantic combination of two characters: 玷, which originally refers to a flaw or blemish in a piece of jade, and 污, which means filth, dirt, or stain. Together, they create a powerful metaphorical verb meaning "to sully", "to tarnish", or "to defile". The formation leverages the concrete image of a precious object being physically marred (玷) and made dirty (污) to express the abstract concept of damaging someone's reputation, purity, or honor. This process exemplifies how many Chinese disyllabic words evolve by combining near-synonyms to refine and intensify a shared conceptual field, moving from literal, physical meanings to broader, often moral or abstract, applications.