The word 女士 is formed by directly combining two meaningful characters: 女 (nǚ), meaning "woman" or "female", and 士 (shì), a historical term for a scholar, gentleman, or person of respectable standing. The compound conceptually fuses these ideas to create a new term that elevates the subject, essentially denoting a "woman of gentlemanly status" or a "female scholar". This formation yields the modern, respectful title for "lady" or "Ms"., borrowing the dignity and esteem historically associated with 士 and applying it honorifically to women.