The term 勋爵 (xūnjué) is a compound word formed by combining two meaningful characters: 勋 (xūn), which denotes "merit", "achievement", or "distinguished service", often of a military or civil nature, and 爵 (jué), which means "nobility title" or "peerage". Together, they create a title that literally means "lord of merit" or "titled noble for service", historically used to refer to a peer (like a baron or lord in the British system) whose rank was earned or recognized for notable contributions, effectively blending the concept of honor earned through service with the institution of aristocratic rank. In modern usage, it is primarily a translation for Western titles such as "Lord" in contexts like the British House of Lords.