The Chinese word 罪孽 (zuìniè) is a compound term formed by combining two semantically related characters: 罪, meaning "crime" or "sin" (often implying a violation of law or moral code), and 孽, which originally referred to a "disaster" or "misfortune" caused by wrongdoing, and by extension conveys a sense of profound evil, transgression, or karmic burden. Together, they create a reinforced, intensifying binome where both components point to serious moral or religious offense, with 孽 deepening the gravity of 罪 to imply a sin that carries severe consequences, often with a connotation of inescapable retribution or a stain upon one's soul.