Abstract: The usage that nouns can directly modify verbs in Chinese poses a challenge to the conceptual semantic analysis of lexical categories. The theoretical framework and the technical operations in Cognitive Grammar provide a more adequate explanation for this type of mismatch. The conceptual basis of the verbs includes the semantic components of instrument, manner, location and time, which can be made salient via construal operations. The change of verb meaning makes it possible for the verb to correspond with and fuse with the noun, thus giving rise to the usage of noun-modified verbs. Such an analysis based on the adjustment of verb meaning can complement the theoretical approach that Cognitive Grammar takes for modification.