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    Chinese Grammar

    Forming compound nouns with pronouns and nouns

    Connecting Ideas
    Description & Modification

    Structure

    Pronoun/Noun + Noun

    Explanation

    In Chinese, two nouns or a pronoun and a noun can be placed together to form a compound expression. This structure is common in titles, descriptions, and roles, where modifiers directly precede the head noun without needing additional particles. Understanding how these compounds work helps learners parse longer noun phrases in Chinese.

    Examples

    • 我们班同学都很喜欢这位新老师。

      Wǒmen bān tóngxué dōu hěn xǐhuān zhè wèi xīn lǎoshī.

      All the classmates in our class really like the new teacher.

    • 她男朋友是一名程序员。

      Tā nánpéngyǒu shì yī míng chéngxùyuán.

      Her boyfriend is a programmer.

    • 你们公司今年招了多少人?

      Nǐmen gōngsī jīnnián zhāo le duōshǎo rén?

      How many people did your company hire this year?

    Forming compound nouns with pronouns and nouns | Chinese Grammar