How to identify component parts

Divide the compound noun into its component parts.

There are several ways to detect component parts.
If you already know one of the components then you also know where the preceding one ends or the following one begins. In the Grammar section of Chapter 6 you'll learn frequently used prefixes, modifiers, and suffixes that can also help you identify individual components, where they start or end.

Compound nouns may also add one or two letters as links between components, such as -s-, -es-, -en-, -n [see also point 5 in Grammar 4 (Nouns — Part 4) of this chapter], These letters act like a glue that binds the compounds.
They may then serve as markers in breaking down the word.

Please notice that German never juxtaposes the consonants "s" and "h"!
Thus, if you see "-sh-" in the middle of a word, you can be certain that the first component ends with an "s" and the following one begins with an "h."