The Chinese word **胡椒** (hújiāo), meaning "pepper," is a compound noun formed through semantic combination, where **胡** (hú) historically signifies "foreign" or specifically "from the western regions/Central Asia," indicating the spice's ancient introduction to China via the Silk Road, and **椒** (jiāo) means "pepper" or "pungent plant." Thus, the term literally translates to "foreign pepper," distinguishing it from native Chinese *pungent* plants and accurately reflecting its geographical and cultural origins.