The word 敬意 is formed by combining the character 敬, which means "to respect" or "reverence", with the character 意, which means "thought", "mind", or "sentiment". Together, they create a composite concept where the first element (敬) describes the specific quality or type of the second element (意), resulting in the meaning "a sentiment of respect" or "feelings of reverence". It is a direct conceptual fusion where the respectful attitude modifies the abstract notion of feeling or intention.