* Compound nouns are formed by combining two or more words to create a new word with a single meaning. Examples include "fireplace", "toothbrush", and "sunglasses".
* "Little boy" is a noun phrase consisting of an adjective ("little") modifying a noun ("boy"). The two words retain their individual meanings and function together to describe a specific type of boy.
Therefore, "little boy" is a noun phrase, not a compound noun.