This is something that is determined by context. Relative pronouns such as *qui* can modify an entire phrasal noun or just part of it. Some examples taken from « Les Chansons de Bilitis » : - « Je te bercerai d’une main sur mon genou qui se lève et s’abaisse. » : The relative clause is clearly attached to « mon genou » and not « une main sur mon genou » by context. - « Quand aurai-je comme toi des seins de jeune fille qui gonflent la robe et tentent le baiser ? » : The relative clause is clearly attached to « des seins de jeune fille » and not « jeune fille » as the verbs are conjugated in the plural. In this example from [Rimbaud][1], « se recueillir » probably refers to « le Baiser ». This is indicated clearly in the translations of the poem that I found while looking for references: > And the Golden Kiss of the Woods, started by a bullfinch, resolves once again to rest. ([Mason][2]) > And one sees frightened by a bullfinch the Golden Kiss of the Woods, communing with itself. ([Ahearn][3]) > … and you can see frightened by a bullfinch the golden Kiss of the Woods, in meditation. ([Appelbaum][4]) One might also observe that in the clause, « le Baiser d'or du Bois » is already treated as a unit by « l'on voit épeuré ». Because of this precedent and the comma, which implies a pause to me, « qui se recueille » probably also applies to the entire phrasal noun. If it were instead attached to « le Bois », I would expect it to more or less proceed without a break, to make the attachment clearer. > et l'on voit épeuré par un bouvreuil > le Baiser d'or du Bois, qui se recueille. [1]: https://www.lieder.net/lieder/get_text.html?TextId=13676 [2]: https://books.google.com/books?id=fn9lqfdLwgQC&lpg=PA103&ots=dIXd4NQarw&dq=%22the%20golden%20kiss%20of%20the%20woods%22&pg=PA103#v=onepage&q&f=false [3]: https://books.google.com/books?id=-vV1FdhXmrwC&lpg=PA117&ots=ZdCZMMo_qt&dq=%22the%20golden%20kiss%20of%20the%20woods%22&pg=PA117#v=onepage&q&f=false [4]: https://books.google.com/books?id=XnyobUnpk-0C&lpg=PA141&ots=WayDRrGGzi&dq=%22the%20golden%20kiss%20of%20the%20woods%22&pg=PA141#v=onepage&q&f=false