The Chinese word 诽谤 (fěibàng), meaning "to slander" or "to defame", is a compound formed by the combination of two semantically similar characters, each contributing a nuanced aspect of the overall meaning. The first character, 诽 (fěi), originally implied speaking ill of someone privately or in a behind-the-back manner, often with a sense of distortion. The second character, 谤 (bàng), historically referred to open criticism or condemnation, typically in a public or accusatory fashion. Over time, both characters evolved to center on the idea of making false and damaging statements. When paired together in the disyllabic word 诽谤, they reinforce and complement each other to comprehensively express the act of spreading falsehoods to harm a person's reputation, encompassing both private whispers and public accusations.