The word 伟大 is formed by combining two characters that each convey a sense of largeness or superiority: 伟 (wěi), which means "big", "great", or "extraordinary", and 大 (dà), which means "big" or "great". Their combination is not merely additive but synergistic, where 伟 adds a layer of lofty, imposing, or heroic quality to the fundamental notion of "bigness" from 大, resulting in a composite meaning that describes something or someone as profoundly great, noble, and admirable in a grand, often moral or spiritual sense.