The word 君主 (jūnzhǔ, meaning "monarch" or "sovereign") is a compound noun formed through the combination of two semantically similar characters: 君 (jūn), which historically means "ruler," "lord," or "gentleman," and 主 (zhǔ), which means "master," "chief," or "one who is in charge." Together, they create a parallel or synonymous compound where each character reinforces and elaborates upon the core concept of a supreme ruler, resulting in a term that emphasizes absolute authority and leadership, effectively meaning "the ruling master."