餐厅 (cān tīng) literally combines 餐 (cān), meaning 'meal' or 'food', and 厅 (tīng), meaning 'hall' or 'room'. Together, it refers to a dedicated indoor space where people sit down to eat meals — commonly translated as 'dining hall', 'dining room', or 'restaurant', depending on context. It’s a general, neutral term used for both institutional settings (e.g., school or office dining halls) and commercial food service venues.

Unlike the more formal 饭店 (fàn diàn) or casual 馆子 (guǎn zi), 餐厅 emphasizes the function of eating rather than cooking or ambiance. It often implies a seated, organized environment with tables and chairs, and may be part of a larger building (e.g., hotel, university campus) or operate independently. In everyday speech, it’s widely understood and appropriate in both spoken and written Chinese.