The Chinese word **禁忌 (jìnjì)** is a compound term formed by combining two semantically similar characters: **禁 (jìn)**, meaning "to forbid" or "to prohibit," and **忌 (jì)**, meaning "to avoid," "to fear," or "a taboo." Together, they create a reinforced, nuanced concept where **禁** emphasizes an external or social prohibition (a ban), while **忌** adds the dimension of internal caution, avoidance, or a superstitious taboo. The formation follows a common pattern in Chinese where two near-synonyms are paired to express a single, more comprehensive idea—in this case, a strong, culturally rooted prohibition or something that is strictly forbidden to be approached, mentioned, or done due to social, religious, or superstitious beliefs.