条 means “article, clause, condition”

じょう · jou

Also: counter for articles, clauses, paragraphs, etc., twig

Kun'yomi (Japanese reading): えだ, すじ
On'yomi (Chinese reading): ジョウ, チョウ, デキ

JLPT N1 · Taught in grade 5 · 7 strokes

The story

A tree (木) with a long branch drawn out above (夂): 条 once meant a twig, then anything long and set in a row. It numbers the articles of a law, as in the famous 第九条, Article 9, and Kyoto's avenues, 四条 and 五条, run in numbered lines.

Used in 条件 (jouken, condition), 条約 (jouyaku, treaty), and 条例 (jourei, local ordinance)

条 means “article, clause, condition”

The story

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