The word "皇帝" (huángdì), meaning "emperor", is formed conceptually through the synthesis of two ancient and supreme titles. The first character, "皇" (huáng), originally conveyed a sense of "august", "radiant", or "great", often associated with legendary sage-kings. The second, "帝" (dì), initially referred to a high god or divine ruler in early Chinese theology and myth. The First Emperor of Qin, Qin Shi Huang, deliberately combined these two monumental titles around 221 BCE to create a new, unprecedented designation for himself, signifying a ruler who possessed both the majestic, virtuous authority of the "皇" and the transcendent, divine power of the "帝", thus forging a unified symbol of ultimate secular and sacred sovereignty.