The word 态度 (tàidu, meaning "attitude") is formed by combining two characters, each contributing a core conceptual layer. The first character, 态 (tài), originally depicted a person's mental state or inner disposition, carrying a sense of one's internal condition or posture. The second, 度 (dù), represents measurement, degree, or manner. Thus, the compound conceptually fuses the "inner state" or "disposition" with the "manner" or "measure" in which it is expressed or held, forming the integrated idea of one's observable or measurable stance toward people or things.