Compound words account for about 80% of Chinese vocabulary. Learning compound words will accompany you all the time in the process of learning Chinese. Studying the formation of compound words will undoubtedly help you enlarge your Chinese vocabulary and understand the internal structure of Chinese words.
As we know a morpheme, the smallest grammatical unit in a language, is the smallest meaningful unit of a language. Morphemes divide into two types: roots and affixes.
A root is the main part in a word and shows its principal meaning,
e.g. 火车 train (火 and 车 are both roots), 电脑 computer (电 and 脑 are both roots).
An affix is added to a root to express additional or supplementary meaning, e.g. 过得去 passable (过 a root, 得 an infix, 去 a root); 作家 writer (作 is a root and 家 is a suffix ). Some affixes only have the function of word formation, e.g. 小王 (小 prefix + 王 root), 椅子 (椅 root + 子 suffix).
How are compound words formed?
According to the different combinations of roots and affixes, compound words are divided into the following categories.
I. Root + affix (a root and an affix form a compound word)
Affixes divide into prefixes, infixes and suffixes. Here are some common affixes in Chinese.
Prefixes: 老, 小, 阿, 第, etc
Infixes: 得, 不
Suffixes：子，儿，头，性，化，品, etc
This formation is the basic formation of compound words. Words formed by this method are also called 派生词 derivative words o derivatives. There are three combinations of roots and affixes.
prefix + root e.g. 阿 + 姨 = 阿姨；阿 + 公 = 阿公；老 + 王 = 老王
root + suffix e.g. 石 + 头 = 石头； 杏 + 儿 =杏儿； 胖 + 子 = 胖子
root + infix + root e.g. 对 + 得 + 起 = 对得起；来 + 不 + 及 = 来不及
II. Reduplicated words
1. AA Structure (The same root is reduplicated to form a compound word)
妈妈 mother, mā ma; 弟弟 brother；常常 often ; 仅仅 jǐn jǐn only；偏偏 piān piān just
Attention: AA reduplicated words are different from single-morpheme reduplications. The single character of a AA reduplicated word can be used alone with the same meaning, e.g. 妈妈 is mother, and 妈 also means mother and can be used alone as a word, so you can 我妈妈 or 我妈. For a single-morpheme reduplication, the character can’t be used alone. You can say 我奶奶 but you can’t say 我奶.
2. AAB Structure (two same roots and another different root form a compound word)
3. ABB Structure ( A differetn root and two same roots form a compound word)
4. AABB Structure（Two different roots are reduplicated respectively to form a compound word）
条条框框 tiáo tiáo kuàng kuàng regulations and restrictions；
林林总总 lín lín zǒng zǒng numerous；
生生世世 shēng shēng shì shì generation after generation；
婆婆妈妈 pó po mā mā womanishly fussy/garrulous
堂堂正正tángtángzhèngzhèng, dignified and imposing
III. Root A + Root B (two different roots form a compound word)
This formation of compound words is the most important word formation in Chinese. These kinds of words are called 复合词. There are 8 types of structure for this formtion.
1. Parellel Structure (Two similar, parallel, related, or opposite characters form a compound word)
This type of structure breaks down into four subtypes:
1.1 Two synonymous characters form a word, which is a synonym or near-synonym of either of the two characters.
A noun can be formed by this structure:
语 +言 = 语言 language,
道 + 路 = 道路 road,
思 + 想 = 思想 thought,
泥 + 土 = 泥土 earth,
海 + 洋 = 海洋 the sea,
A verb can be formed by this structure:
停 + 止 = 停止 stop,
斗 + 争 = 斗争 fight,
研 + 究 = 研究 reserch,
选 + 择 = 选择 choose,
帮 + 助 = 帮助 help,
A adjective can be formed by this structure:
美 + 丽 = 美丽 beautiful,
温 +柔 = 温柔 tender,
鲜 + 艳 = brightly colored,
丰 + 富 = 丰富 abundant,
优 + 良 =优良 good
1.2 Two characters with related or parallel meanings form a word with different meaning.
心 heart + 腹 abdomen = 心腹 henthman；
骨 bone + 肉 meat form = 骨肉 one’s blood-relation;
尺 a unit of length equal to one-third meter + 寸 a unit of length equal to one-third decimeter = 尺寸 size；
体 body + 面 face = 体面 dignity；
口 mouth + 舌 tongue = 口舌 quarrel
1.3 Two antonyms form a new word with different meaning.
东 east + 西 west = 东西 thing；
长 long + 短 short = 长短 length;
横 horizontal + 竖 perpendicular = 横竖 anyway；
往 come = 来 go = 往来 dealings；
始 beginning + 终 end = 始终 from beginning to end;
1.4 Two characters with related or opposite meanings but only one character determines the meaning.
国 country + 家 home = 国家 country;
质 quality + 量 quantity = 质量 quality;
人 person + 物 thing = 人物；
动 motion + 静 motionless = 动静 movement;
忘 forget + 记 remember =忘记 forget;
2. Modifier-Modified Structure (Un modifier and the modified form a compound word)
The first character modifies and limits the second. This type of tructure breaks down into 4 subtypes:
2.1 The first character modifies the second to form a noun.
汉 the Han people + 语 language = 汉语 Chinese language;
火 fire + 车 car, 火车 train;
飞 fly + 机 machine = 飞机 plane;
广 wide + 场 place = 广场 square;
宿 stay overnight + 舍 hut = 宿舍 dorm
2.2 The first character modifies the second to form a verb.
微 slightly + 笑 laugh = 微笑 smile;
朗 loud + 读 read = 朗读 read aloud;
热 hot, 爱 love = 热爱 ardently love;
瓦 tile + 解 separate = 瓦解 disintegrate;
目 eye + 击 hit =目击 witness
2.3 The first character modifies the second to form an adjective.
好 good + 听 listen = 好听 pleasant to hear;
难 difficult + 看 look = 难看 ugly；
美 beautiful + 观 look = 美观 beautiful;
耐 endure + 磨 rub = 耐磨 wear-resisting；
漆 paint + 黑 black= 漆黑 pitch-dark
2.4 The first character modifies the second to form an adverb.
无 without + 论 discuss = 无论 no matter;
刚 just + 巧 occidental = 刚巧 by chance;
还 still + 是 is = 还是 still/nevertheless;
何 where/what/why +止 only/just = 何止 not only；
不 no + 管 mind = 不管 no matter
3. Verb-Object Structure (The first character is a verb and the second is the object of the verb)
This type of structure break down into 3 subtypes:
3.1 A verb and its object form a new verb
播 spread + 音 sound, 播音 broadcast;
造 make + 谣 romor = 造谣 start a rumor;
毕 finish + 业 course of study = 毕业 graduate;
放 put + 心 heart, 放心 to feel relieved；
开 open + 幕 curtain = 开幕 open/inaugurate
3.2 A verb and its object form a noun
雪 snow + 崩 slide = 雪崩 snowslide;
地 earth + 震 quake = 地震 earthquake;
海 sea + 啸 roar = 海啸 tsunami;
口 mouth + 红 red =口红 lipstick；
日 Sun + 出 come out = 日出 sunrise
3.3 A verb and its object form an adjective
过 spend + 瘾 addiction = 过瘾 satisfying;
开 open + 心 heart = 开心 happy;
合 suit + 法 law = 合法 legal;
动 move + 人 person = 动人 moving，
吃 eat + 醋 vinegar = 吃醋 jealous
4. Predicate-Complement Structure (The second character modifies the first, forming a verb)
The second character modifies or describes the first character, indicating the result, state, or direction of the verb.
提 raise + 高 up = 提高 improve;
推 push + 动 get moving = 推动 promote/drive;
削 cut + 弱 weak = 削弱 weaken;
扩 expand + 大 big = 扩大 expand；
改 change + 善 good = 改善 improve
5. Subject-Predicate Structure (A noun and its predicate form a new word)
This type breaks down into 2 subtypes:
5.1 A noun and its predicate form a noun
雪 snow + 崩 slide = 雪崩 snowslide;
地 earth + 震 quake = 地震 earthquake;
海 sea + 啸 roar = 海啸 tsunami;
口 mouth + 红 red =口红 lipstick；日 Sun + 出 come out = 日出 sunrise
5.2 A noun and its predicate form an adjective
眼 eye + 红 red = 眼红 envious;
面 face + 熟 familiar = 面熟 look familiar;
性 temperament + 急 urgent = 性急 impatient;
心 heart + 虚 hollow = 心虚 with a guilty conscience
气 morale + 馁 dispirited= 气馁 discouraged
6. Structure of Two Successive Verbs (Two verbs representing two successive actions form a new verb)
The second action happens after the first, for example 来 (come first) + 访 (then visit) = 来访（come to visit ）
接 receive + 管 manage = 接管 take over；
退 retreat + 休 rest = 退休 retire；
来 come + 访 visit = 来访 come to visit
贩 buy to resell + 卖 sell = 贩卖 vend；
领 receive + 养 raise = 领养 adopt
7. Structure of Two Verbs with Different Subjects ( the object of the first verb is the subject of the second verb) form a new verb.
催 urge (sb.) + (sb.) 眠 sleep = 催眠 hypnotize；
派 send (sb.) + (sb.) 驻 stay = 派驻 accredit；
引 introduce (sb.) + (sb.)见 meet = 引见 introduce；
逼 compel (sb.) + (sb.) 供 confess = 逼供 exort a confession；
迫 force (sth.) + (sth.) 降 land = 迫降 make a forced landing
8. Structure of Noun and Its Measure Word
This type of structure breaks into 2 subtypes:
8.1 A noun and its measure word form a collective or abstract noun
华 flower + 朵 mesure word for flowers = 花朵 flowers;
书 a book + 本 measure word for books + 书本 books;
马 a horse + 匹 measure word for horses = 马匹 horses;
船 boat + 只 meaure word for boats = 船只 vessels;
柴 wood + 堆 measure word for wood = 柴堆 woodpile;
8.2 A noun and its measure word form a concrete noun
水 water + 壶 measure word for water = 水壶 kettle;
信 letter + 封 measure word for letter = 信封 envelope;
酒 wine + 坛 measure word for wine = 酒坛 wine jar;
房 house + 间 measure word for houses = 房间 room；
戏 drama + 台 measure word for dramas = 戏台 stage
IV. Abbreviations
Simplify long words or phrases into short words.
外长 is short for 外交部长 Minister of Foreign Affairs/ foreign minister；
彩电 is short for 彩色电视机 color TV；
安理会 is short for 安全理事会 the U. N. Security Council；
高校 is short for 高等学校 colleges and universities；
影评 is short for 电影评论 film review
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