长条 (cháng tiáo) — long twig or branch (of a tree); long narrow strip (of material, land, etc.)

Definition

长条 (cháng tiáo) describes something shaped as an elongated, narrow strip — a piece of land, paper, or fabric. Used as an attributive or with 状 to describe a long, thin shape.

noun
long twig or branch (of a tree)long narrow strip (of material, land, etc.)
Measure word · 根

Examples

  • 长条，。
    Tā cóng dì shàng shí qǐ yì gēn cháng tiáo, dàng zuò shǒu zhàng.
    He picked up a long twig from the ground and used it as a walking stick.
  • ，。
    Zhè zhāng zhǐ bèi cái chéng le xì cháng tiáo, yòng lái biān lán zi.
    This piece of paper was cut into thin strips to weave baskets.
  • 长条，。
    Zhè piàn tǔ dì chéng cháng tiáo zhuàng, shì hé zhòng zhí shū cài.
    This piece of land is long and narrow in shape, suitable for growing vegetables.

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.

长chánglong
条tiáostrip

长 gives long and 条 gives strip, together naming a long narrow strip.

Characters in this word

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 長; 长 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 長 pictures an old man with long hair. The simplified 长 is a later shorthand, so its strokes do not show that original picture.

Open 长 →

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 →

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