中关村 is formed as a place name through the historical evolution of its characters: 中 (zhōng, meaning "middle" or "China"), 关 (guān, meaning "pass"), and 村 (cūn, meaning "village"). It originated from 中官村, where 中官 referred to eunuchs during the Ming and Qing dynasties; the character 官 (guān, meaning "official") was later replaced by the homophonic 关, leading to the current spelling while retaining the original pronunciation, and the term now designates a specific district in Beijing known for its technology sector.