ZHIZHI 知止 · LEARN CHINESE DAILY
条
strip; (measure for long things)
tiáo
7 strokes · 夂 (go slowly) over 木-derived base — a slender branch · HSK 3
Where 条 comes from
A thin supple branch. Everything long and bendy inherits it: rivers, roads, fish, trousers, even items of news — all counted with 条.
条 in Chinese culture
一条河 a river, 一条鱼 a fish, 一条裤子 a pair of trousers, 一条新闻 a piece of news, 一条命 a life. Learn 条 and half of China's measure-word anxiety dissolves.
Example
面条 miàntiáo — noodles
这条路很长。
Zhè tiáo lù hěn cháng.
This road is very long.
How to remember it
A supple BRANCH — anything LONG and FLEXIBLE gets counted with it.
Dogs are counted with 条 (一条狗) but cats with 只 — a distinction no one can fully explain.
Same sound, different tones
Words unlocked by 条
面条 miàntiáo
noodles
条件 tiáojiàn
condition
Related characters
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One character a morning · 401-character HSK library · iOS