The word 主管 is formed by combining two characters, each contributing a core idea to create a new, unified concept. The first character, 主 (zhǔ), carries the meaning of "master", "primary", or "to be in charge". The second character, 管 (guǎn), means "to manage", "to control", or "to be in charge of". When placed together, the concept evolves from simply "being in charge" (主) to specifically "managing or having control over" (管), resulting in the combined meaning of a "person in charge of management", such as a supervisor, director, or manager. It is a logical semantic compound where the second character often specifies the domain or action of the first.