The term 诸位 is a formal and respectful form of address for a group of people, formed through the combination of the character 诸 (zhū), meaning "all" or "many", and 位 (wèi), a polite measure word for individuals (akin to "gentlemen" or "ladies"). Literally, it translates to "all the positions" or "everyone present", where 诸 acts as a pluralizing prefix and 位 confers respect by acknowledging each person's standing. This structure is characteristic of classical Chinese, where concise compounds are used for honorifics, making it equivalent to phrases like "everyone" or "ladies and gentlemen" in formal speeches or written correspondence.