The word 贫穷 is formed by combining two characters, 贫 (pín) and 穷 (qióng), which both independently convey a sense of lack and deficiency. 贫 primarily suggests material scarcity, like having little wealth, while 穷 originally implied reaching an end or limit, extending to mean having no means or prospects. By pairing them, the concept is intensified and rounded out, creating a single, more comprehensive idea that encapsulates both the concrete state of having few possessions and the more profound, trapped condition of complete destitution with no way out.