条
measure word for long thin things
HSK level
- Pinyin
- tiáo
- Part of speech
- measure word
- Level
- HSK 3
- Strokes
- 7
- Register
- neutral
Stroke order for 条
条 is written with 7 strokes. The animation replays automatically.
What does 条 mean?
条 (tiáo) is one of the most-used Chinese measure words, used for objects that are long and thin or that flow in a line.
The core categories: long thin physical objects (一条鱼 a fish, 一条蛇 a snake, 一条毛巾 a towel, 一条裤子 a pair of pants, 一条裙子 a skirt, 一条领带 a tie), linear paths (一条路 a road, 一条河 a river, 一条街 a street), and — by extension — discrete items in a list (一条短信 a text message, 一条新闻 a news item, 一条评论 a comment, 一条建议 a piece of advice). English has no single equivalent: depending on context it maps to 'a,' 'a piece of,' 'a length of,' or 'an item.' For most clothing items 条 covers things you step into (pants, skirts) while 件 covers upper-body items (shirts, jackets).
Memory hook: Picture a long thin twig (the original meaning) — anything shaped like a strip takes 条.
Example sentences
我买了一条新裤子。
Wǒ mǎi le yì tiáo xīn kùzi.
I bought a new pair of pants.
neutral
这条路通到火车站。
Zhè tiáo lù tōng dào huǒchēzhàn.
This road leads to the train station.
neutral
我给你发了一条短信。
Wǒ gěi nǐ fā le yì tiáo duǎnxìn.
I sent you a text message.
spoken
他钓到了三条鱼。
Tā diào dào le sān tiáo yú.
He caught three fish.
neutral
Common phrases with 条
Synonyms
根 is for long thin RIGID objects (一根筷子 chopstick, 一根头发 hair, 一根针 needle). 条 leans softer/wider or flowing (rivers, fish, ribbons). 一根香蕉 is acceptable but 一条香蕉 is more common.
Don't confuse 条 with
Same pinyin family but different tone and meaning — 跳 (fourth tone) means 'to jump.' 条 is second tone.
调 shares the pinyin tiáo when meaning 'to adjust' (调整) but is a completely different character. Don't substitute one for the other in writing.
Frequently asked questions
Acquire it by listening
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