The word 中餐 (zhōngcān) is a straightforward compound noun formed by combining the character 中 (zhōng), meaning "China" or "Chinese," with the character 餐 (cān), meaning "meal" or "cuisine." It follows the common Chinese lexical structure of a modifier (中) describing the head noun (餐), directly translating to "Chinese meal" and by extension referring to the entire category of Chinese food or cuisine, in contrast to other national styles like 西餐 (xīcān, "Western food").