條 (tiáo) - Strip & long narrow piece

條Tone 2

tiáo ｜ 10 strokes ｜ radical:

檀婷

條 · tiáo

Strip;

long narrow piece;

item;

clause;

measure word for long thin things;

order;

principle.

Striplong narrow pieceitem

Usage highlights

ConditionArticle/ClauseBranch/TwigNoodlesStripOrderliness

Synonyms

  • 枝— branch (similar in the 'branch' sense)
  • 项— item (in a list or clause)

Antonyms

  • 块— chunk (measure word for chunks, opposite of long thin strip)

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • A strip of paper (纸条).
  • Article 5 of the law (第五条).
  • Terms and conditions (条款).
  • A branch of a tree (枝条).
  • Noodles (面条).

Collocations

  • Condition(条件)
  • Article/Clause(条款)
  • Branch/Twig(枝条)
  • Noodles(面条)
  • Strip(条子)
  • Orderliness(条理)

Idioms

  • Well-organized and clear(井井有条)
  • Act according to regulations(照章按条)
  • Numerous branches and leaves(枝繁条茂)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • Originally depicted a tree branch, emphasizing the concept of long, thin, and orderly arrangement.
  • Used in legal and administrative contexts to denote articles and clauses, reflecting a structured approach.
  • As a measure word, it classifies long, thin objects, showing its role in Chinese grammatical structure.

FAQ