The word 伸展 is formed by combining two individual characters, each contributing its core meaning to create a new, compounded concept. The first character, 伸, pictorially and conceptually means "to stretch" or "to extend", often referring to limbs or linear expansion. The second, 展, carries the meaning of "to unfold", "to open up", or "to spread out". When placed together, their meanings merge into a single, cohesive idea of "to stretch and extend outward", perfectly capturing the physical and metaphorical action of extending something to its full length or scope.