The word 服务生 is formed by combining three individual characters, each contributing its core meaning to create a new concept. The first character 服 carries the idea of submitting to or attending to a duty, while 务 means an affair or task; together they form 服务, meaning "to serve" or "service". The final character 生, meaning a person or one who lives/does, is then appended to indicate the person who performs that action. Thus, the compound visually and conceptually assembles "serve-task-person" to logically denote a service worker, specifically a waiter or attendant.