条款 (tiáo kuǎn) — (of contracts or laws) clause, article, term

Definition

条款 refers to a specific clause or article inside a contract or law. It pairs with 项 as its measure word; 章 covers broader sections of a law or document.

noun

(of contracts or laws) clausearticleterm

Measure word · 项

Examples

条款。
Hé tong zhōng de měi gè tiáo kuǎn dōu xū yào zǐ xì yuè dú.
Every clause in the contract needs to be read carefully.
条款。
Zhè xiàng tiáo kuǎn guī dìng le shuāng fāng de quán lì hé yì wù.
This clause specifies the rights and obligations of both parties.
条款。
Fǎ lǜ tiáo kuǎn bì xū qīng chǔ yì dǒng.
Legal clauses must be clear and easy to understand.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

条tiáoarticle

款kuǎnclause

条 means article and 款 means clause; together they refer to the numbered provisions of a law or contract.

Characters in this word

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 →

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

Meaning part形符xíngfú

欠欠qiànlacking, desire

Sound part声符shēngfú

柰

柰nài款kuǎn

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

款 pairs 柰, a sound hint, with 欠, a part about lacking or desire.

Open 款 →

Appears in

HSK 3.0 Level 7-9 HSK 2.0 Level 6 Business & Commerce Law & Justice