戒条 (jiè tiáo) — (Buddhist) precepts, commandments

Definition

Refers to the rules or precepts one vows to follow, especially in a religious context like Buddhism. 戒律 is the broader, more formal term for the whole code of conduct; 戒条 names individual commandments.

noun
(Buddhist) preceptscommandments
Measure word · 条
Easily confused

Examples

  • 戒条。
    Sēng rén men bì xū yán gé zūn shǒu jiè tiáo.
    Monks must strictly observe the precepts.
  • 戒条。
    Fó jiào de jiè tiáo zhǒng lèi hěn duō.
    There are many kinds of Buddhist precepts.
  • 戒条。
    Tā yīn wèi wéi fǎn le yì tiáo zhòng yào jiè tiáo ér shòu dào chéng fá.
    He was punished for violating an important commandment.

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.

戒jièprecept
条tiáoarticle

戒 gives the idea of a precept, and 条 gives an article or clause, yielding a listed rule.

Characters in this word

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

  • 戈戈gēhalberd
  • 廾廾gǒnghands

戒 shows 廾 (hands) and 戈 (a halberd) together: hands holding up a weapon as a warning.

Open 戒 →

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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