Mandarin Chinese is a language replete with markers, which can be combined with other words to form a variety of meaningful compound words. Here are some of the markers, along with their base meaning, and some compound words that they are used in.
Let us start with the suffix 馆 guǎn
‘kāfēi’ in Mandarin Chinese means coffee. When it is combined with the suffix guǎn (馆) which means a shop, we get the word kāfēiguǎn which quite literally means a coffee shop or a café!
Here are some other examples of the 馆 guǎn suffix in use!
馆 guǎn building/shop/accommodation for guests
图书馆 (túshūguǎn) library पुस्तकालय pustakaalay
茶馆 (cháguǎn) tea shop चाय की दुकान chaay kee dukaan
咖啡馆 (kāfēiguǎn) coffee shop/ cafe कॉफी की दुकान coffee kee dukaan
宾馆 (bīnguǎn) guesthouse/hotel अतिथि गृह atithee gruha
餐馆 (cānguǎn) restaurant भोजनालय bhojanaalay
大使馆 (dàshǐguǎn) embassy दूतावास dootaavaas
博物馆 (bówùguǎn) museum संग्रहालय sangrahaalay
‘diàn’ (店) also means a store or an inn.
When it is added to shāng (trade/business) we get the word shāngdiàn which means a shop or a store.
Marker/Suffix:
店 diàn shop, store, inn
饭店 (fàndiàn) food shop, restaurant भोजनालय bhojanaalay
酒店 (jiǔdiàn) hotel होटल hotal
书店 (shūdiàn) bookstore किताबों की दुकान kitaabon kee dukaan
商店 (shāngdiàn) shop/store दुकान dukaan
药店 (yàodiàn) pharmacy दवासाजी davaasaaji
网点 (wǎngdiàn) online shop ऑनलाइन दुकान online dukaan
yuàn (院) is the word for courtyard or compound. When put together with yī (doctor) we get yīyuàn, which is a hospital.
Marker/Suffix:
院 yuàn – courtyard/compound, college/higher learning institute, hospital, government office/public place
电影院 (diànyǐngyuàn) movie theatre फिल्म थिएटर philm theatre
医院 (yīyuàn) hospital अस्पताल aspataal
学院 (xuéyuàn) college/academy/Institute विद्यालय vidyaalay
高院 (gāoyuàn) High court महान्यायालय mahaanyaayaalay
Another commonly used suffix is yuán (园). We usually use it to talk about large open spaces, such as parks and gardens.
Marker/Suffix:
园 yuán garden, place for public recreation, specially designated area
公园 (gōngyuán) park उद्यान udyaan
花园 (huāyuán) garden, nursery बगीचा bageecha
校园 (xiàoyuán) school playground स्कूल का मैदान skool ka maidaan
果园 (guǒyuán) orchard फलोद्यान falodyan
迪士尼 乐园 (Díshìní Lèyuán) Disney Amusement Park एम्यूज़मेंट पार्क emyoozament paark
墓园 (mùyuán) cemetery, graveyard कब्रिस्तान kabristan
幼儿园 (yòu’éryuán) kindergarten बाल विहार baal vihaar
We also have the marker cháng (场), which is used to denote large places or fields.
Marker/Suffix:
场 chǎng – large place used for specific purpose, open space, field, market
机场 (jīchǎng) airport हवाई अड्डा havaee adda
市场 (shìchǎng) market मंडी mandee
商场 (shāngchǎng) department store/shopping mall सर्ववस्तु भंडार sarvaavastu bhaandaar
战场 (zhànchǎng) battlefield लड़ाई का मैदान ladaee kaa maidaan
操场 (cāochǎng) playground खेल का मैदान khel kaa maidaan
草场 (cǎochǎng) grassland, meadow चरागाह charaagah
磁场 (cíchǎng) magnetic field चुंबकीय क्षेत्र chumbakeey kshetr
Marker/Suffix:
厅 tīng hall for various purposes, government department, living room
客厅 (kètīng) living room बैठकख़ाना baithak khaana
大厅 (dàtīng) big hall
餐厅 (cāntīng) food hall, restaurant भोजनालय bhojanaalay
歌厅 (gētīng) karaoke place
饭厅 (fàntīng) dining room भोजन कक्ष bhojan kaksh
迪厅 (dítīng) disco/night club नाइट क्लब nait klab
Marker/Suffix:
室 shì room, department
教室 (jiàoshì) classroom कक्षा kaksha
网上教室 (wǎngshàng jiàoshì) online classroom ऑनलाइन कक्षा onlain kaksha
会议室 (huìyìshì) conference room/meeting room सम्मेलन कक्ष sammelan kaksh
休息室 (xiūxīshì) lobby लॉबी
卧室 (wòshì) bedroom शयनकक्ष shayankaksh
囚室 (qiúshì) prison cell क़ैदख़ाना kaidkhaana
病室 (bìngshì) sickroom
Commonly used measure words: 家 (jiā)，个，间 (jiān)
number + measure word + noun
Each separate compound word usually has one or more measure words that are used while counting or pointing to it. If you are unsure, 个 is the best choice.
Note: The above mentioned characters don’t function only as suffixes, they also work as prefixes, or sometimes are just present in words to indicate location. However, a lot of places can be easily derived using the function of place + one of these suffixes, so this is a useful method to remember.