The term **兄长** is a compound word formed by combining two characters: **兄** (xiōng), which means "elder brother," and **长** (zhǎng), which in this context conveys the meaning of "senior," "elder," or "superior in age or status." Together, they create a respectful and formal term for an elder brother, where **长** intensifies the notion of seniority and deference already present in **兄**. This formation follows a common pattern in Chinese where two synonymous or semantically related characters are joined to form a single, often more formal or nuanced, word—in this case, emphasizing both the familial relationship and the respect owed to an older male sibling.