The Chinese word 糟蹋 (zāotà) is formed through a process of synonymous compounding, where two characters with similar meanings are combined to create a single, more expressive verb. The first character, 糟, originally refers to spoiled dregs or waste (like from winemaking), carrying connotations of ruin or spoilage. The second character, 蹋, means to tread or stamp upon. When combined, their meanings merge and intensify to convey the sense of "to waste," "to ruin," "to vandalize," or "to trample on" (both literally and figuratively), creating a word whose whole meaning is greater than the sum of its parts, emphasizing destructive treatment or misuse.