必要条件 (bì yào tiáo jiàn) — essential condition; prerequisite

Definition

noun
essential conditionprerequisite

Examples

  • 必要条件。
    Yǎng qì shì rán shāo de yí gè bì yào tiáo jiàn.
    Oxygen is a necessary condition for combustion.
  • 必要条件，。
    Méi yǒu zhè ge bì yào tiáo jiàn, jì huà jiù wú fǎ shí shī.
    Without this prerequisite, the plan cannot be implemented.
  • 必要条件。
    Tōng guò kǎo shì shì bì yè de bì yào tiáo jiàn zhī yī.
    Passing the exam is one of the prerequisites for graduation.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

必要essential
必bìmust要yàoneed
偏正Modifier + head
条件condition
条tiáoclause件jiànitem
联合Side by side

必要 gives essential, with 必 and 要 expressing necessity, and 条件 gives condition, so the whole means an essential condition.

Characters in this word

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

The shape of 必 comes from the handle on the right side of a weapon, with two extra strokes added to its sides.

Open 必 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

要 began as a drawing of a person with both hands pointing to the waist.

Open 要 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 條; 条 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
木木mù
Sound part声符shēngfú
攸
攸yōu條tiáo
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 條 pairs 木, a small branch or stick, with 攸, which shows a person warned by a hand holding a stick, as a sound part; 条 is a later shortened shape.

Open 条 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

件 is made of 人, 'man', and 牛, 'cow'.

Open 件 →

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