Just because it says "a noun" doesn't make it one word. That's like saying "brown pants" is one word. If you know Chinese you'd know it's two words, because mein means noodles and chow means fried (as opposed to lo, which means tossed).
> Just because it says "a noun" doesn't make it one word.
In fact, it literally does, because "a" refers to a single entity.
> That's like saying "brown pants" is one word.
No, it is not at all like saying "brown pants" because in order for a word to be an open compound word the modifying adjective has to create a new noun. For example, 'living room' is an open compound word, while "brown room" is not. If you have trouble differentiating between open compound words and just words with modifying adjectives, once again, consult a dictionary.
> If you know Chinese you'd know it's two words
We are discussing English. In English, chow mein is what is called an open compound word, which is when two words come together to form a new single word. There are open compound words, like chow mein, and closed compound words, like notebook. But in both cases, open compound and closed compound words are singular words.
Edit: and also, the site explicitly tells you to select "nouns". So your objection that chow mein is "two words" (it's not), is irrelevant.
I'm aware of what an open compound is, and I still say chow mein isn't one of them. Show me a dictionary that actually refers to it as such.
Furthermore since it's a borrow word, usually the "compoundness" comes with the borrow, and it's most definitely two words in Cantonese.
> the site explicitly tells you to select "nouns"
It says to select 10 nouns. It says "Only single words in English". It also doesn't allow "Living room", so as you say, your objection is irrelevant because it doesn't allow open compounds.
Note that there is no entry for "brown pants". Do you understand why both living room and chow mein are listed, but brown pants isn't?
> and it's most definitely two words in English.
No, it is not. Again, consult a dictionary.
> It says to select 10 nouns.
Yes, and "chow mein" is a noun. That the site doesn't seem to allow open compounds, but allows highly technical wording (despite saying to not use technical wording) would seemingly be a bug.
I apologize if my tone came off as rude. I try to match the tenor of the person I am responding to. My question was also asked in good faith. If you understand what an open compound is, but don't consider chow mein to be an open compound and have earlier compared it to being the equivalent of 'brown pants', then how do you in your understanding reconcile chow mein being in a standard English dictionary, but not brown pants?
That's two words.