Chinese Compound Words
Six Structural Types (复合词)

1Coordinative Compounds (联合式 liánhé shì)

Both components contribute equally to the meaning. They may be near-synonyms, antonyms, or complementary concepts that together define a broader idea. Neither part dominates — the compound's meaning is the sum or blend of both.

2Modifier-Head Compounds (偏正式 piānzhèng shì)

The first morpheme modifies, qualifies, or narrows the second. The head (second morpheme) determines the word's category; the modifier specifies what kind. This mirrors the standard Chinese adjective-noun order in phrases.

3Verb-Object Compounds (动宾式 dòngbīn shì)

The first morpheme is a verb; the second is its object. The compound as a whole functions as a verb. These are common in everyday speech — many routine activities are expressed through verb-object compounds. Note that the internal object is usually not replaceable: you say 吃饭 (eat a meal) as a unit, even when specifying a different food.

4Subject-Predicate Compounds (主谓式 zhǔwèi shì)

The first morpheme acts as the subject of the action or state expressed by the second morpheme. These compounds are often derived from mini-sentences. The internal logic is vivid and memorable — 地震 is literally "the earth shakes", and 年轻 is "years are light."

5Verb-Complement Compounds (动补式 dòngbǔ shì)

The first morpheme is a verb; the second is its result or direction — a complement that tells you the outcome of the action. These are directly related to the resultative and directional complement grammar patterns. Understanding them helps both vocabulary and sentence structure.

6Reduplication (重叠式 chóngdié shì)

Reduplication repeats a morpheme or word to add nuance. For monosyllabic verbs, AA reduplication softens the action or indicates doing something briefly. For adjectives, AA reduplication often intensifies or adds descriptive richness. The AABB pattern reduplicate two-morpheme compounds and often appears in formal or literary contexts.

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