The word 许多 is formed through the logical combination of two independent characters, each contributing its core meaning to create a new, unified concept. The first character, 许 (xǔ), carries an inherent sense of "approval", "allowance", or "such an extent", implying a granted or existing quantity. It is paired with the second character, 多 (duō), which directly means "many" or "much". Their fusion is not grammatical but conceptual; 许 establishes the frame of an acknowledged or present amount, which is then defined and emphasized by 多 to collectively express the specific idea of "a great many" or "a lot". Thus, the formation is a semantic synthesis where both components jointly narrow and specify the notion of plurality.