The word 景象 is formed by combining two characters that each contribute a layer of meaning to create a unified concept. The first character, 景 (jǐng), fundamentally means "view" or "scene", often with a connotation of something visually notable or scenic. The second character, 象 (xiàng), carries the meaning of "appearance", "image", or "phenomenon". When fused, 景象 does not merely add one idea to the other, but rather synthesizes them to evoke the holistic "sight" or "spectacle" of a scene, the total visual phenomenon or panorama that presents itself to the observer.