The Chinese word 主编 (zhǔbiān), meaning "editor-in-chief" or "chief editor", is a modifier-head compound noun formed by combining two meaningful characters: 主 (zhǔ), which means "chief", "primary", or "main", and 编 (biān), which means "to edit" or "to compile". In this structure, the first character 主 acts as a modifier that specifies the rank or nature of the second character 编, which serves as the core semantic root; thus, the compound literally translates to "chief editor" or "primary compiler", clearly indicating the person who holds the leading editorial role.