The word 丈夫 is formed through a conceptual synthesis of its two components: 丈, which originally denoted a unit of measurement (approximately ten feet), and 夫, which means "man" or "husband". Historically, it combined to describe an adult male of imposing stature, literally a "ten-foot man", which became an idealized standard for a mature, capable, and respectable man, and by extension, a spouse. The term thus evolved from a physical description into a social role, embedding the traditional cultural expectation of a husband as a pillar of strength and responsibility.