The word 责备 is formed by combining two characters, each contributing a layer of meaning that merges into a single concept. The first character, 责, originally depicted a person being pressed for a debt or obligation, carrying the core idea of demanding accountability or holding someone responsible. The second character, 备, conveys the sense of being fully prepared or equipped. When joined, the word conceptually paints the picture of confronting someone with the full account of what they were obligated to do but failed to do, thus creating the unified meaning of "to blame" or "to reproach".