The word 服务员 is formed by combining three meaningful characters: 服 (to serve), 务 (affair, task), and 员 (person, member). The first two characters join to create the concept of "service" (服务), and then the third character is appended to specify a person associated with that role. Thus, it literally and conceptually builds from "serve + task + person" to mean "one who performs service tasks", or a service worker.