Modifying Compounds in Chinese Language

The modifying compounds are the type of words that the morphemes of expressing explanation, modification and limitation are placed in the former part. When you study Chinese, you should know the latter part is mainly expressing the meanings. One point we should pay attention to is that the meaning of the latter morpheme is the most important. There are two types of such compound that the learners who study Chinese should know. One condition is that the former morpheme is used to describe nature of the latter one.

In another condition, the compounds functioned as the answer the question “how to do something”. For instance, foreigners who learn to speak Chinese should know 书架 is 放书的架子. The modifying compounds take a large proportion in the compounds words in Chinese language. If the foreigners who study Chinese know the meanings of the two morphemes and the structures of the words, it is possible for them to know the whole meaning. For example, after students learning meanings of 马and 车, they will know 马车 is 马拉的车.