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条款 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
条款tiáokuǎnclause (of contract or law)HSK 7, n, rank #6141, Hard
条款tiáokuǎn>项[xiàng]HSK 7, n, rank #6141, Hard
tiáokuǎn(tiao2kuan3) T2
  1. 1clause (of contract or law)
  2. 2>项[xiàng]
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March 24, 2026
条款(條款)tiáokuǎn(tiao2kuan3)

条款 (tiáokuǎn) refers to specific clauses or stipulations within a contract or legal document. It is commonly used in legal and business contexts to denote individual provisions that outline obligations, rights, and conditions of an agreement.

Frequency#6141DifficultyHard
Cultural Note

In Chinese business culture, contracts are often seen as binding agreements that reflect trust and mutual respect.条款 play a crucial role in ensuring that all parties understand their obligations and rights, which is vital in maintaining harmony in business relationships.

Memory Tip

Imagine a scroll (条) that unrolls to reveal various 'rules' (款) written on it. Each rule is a clause outlining what is expected in a contract, helping you remember '条款' as 'rules on a scroll'. The 'tiao' sounds like 'tie', as in tying two parties to an agreement.

Meanings of 条款

tiáokuǎn(tiao2kuan3)
1clause (of contract or law)
Exercise 1 of 2

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About 条款

条款Simplified
條款Traditional
—Strokes
—Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#6141Frequency Rank
项Measure Word
HSK 2.0L6HSK 3.0L7AdvancedBCT✓CEFRC2

Podcast: 条款

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Podcast: 条款

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AI Study Notes for 条款

Quick Contrast

条文 (tiáowén) — use 条款 for specific contractual clauses, while 条文 refers to the text or wording of legal provisions in general.

Memory Mnemonic

Imagine a scroll (条) that unrolls to reveal various 'rules' (款) written on it. Each rule is a clause outlining what is expected in a contract, helping you remember '条款' as 'rules on a scroll'. The 'tiao' sounds like 'tie', as in tying two parties to an agreement.

Usage Notes

Learners often confuse 条款 with 规定 (guīdìng), which means regulations. While both terms can appear in legal contexts, 条款 is more specific to contracts. It is a formal term, so use it in professional settings and avoid casual conversations.

HSK Study Tips

As a level 6 word, 条款 connects to other legal vocabulary such as 合同 (hétong, contract) and 权利 (quánlì, rights). Focus on understanding its usage in legal documents and practice using it in context to strengthen comprehension.

Cultural Note

In Chinese business culture, contracts are often seen as binding agreements that reflect trust and mutual respect.条款 play a crucial role in ensuring that all parties understand their obligations and rights, which is vital in maintaining harmony in business relationships.

Common Mistakes

Learners sometimes mistakenly use 条款 interchangeably with 条件 (tiáojiàn, condition). For instance, saying '合同的条件' instead of '合同的条款' when referring to contract clauses is incorrect; 条款 is the more precise term.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 条款

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Component Characters

条tiáostrip
HSK 27 strokes木
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款kuǎnsection
HSK 612 strokes欠
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Write 条款

条
款

Practice writing 条款 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

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Grammar Patterns of 条款

条款 functions as a noun — it names a person, place, thing, or concept. Place it as a subject before the verb (主+谓) or as an object after the verb (谓+宾). Most Chinese nouns require a measure word between the number and the noun (e.g. 一个/三本). It carries 2 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.

Exercise 1 of 4

Complete the Sentence

我对该协议的最初____也不太满意。

I'm also not crazy about the initial terms of the deal.

Example Sentences for 条款 (10)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
nclause (of contract or law)8
1
我对该协议的最初条款也不太满意。

wǒ duì gāi xié yì de zuì chū tiáo kuǎn yě bù tài mǎn yì。

I'm also not crazy about the initial terms of the deal.
2
绿条款和红条款基本相同.

lǜ tiáo kuǎn hé hóng tiáo kuǎn jī běn xiāng tóng.

Green clause and red clause are basically the same.
3
律师建议我们仔细研究合同中的所有条款，以确保我们的权益得到保护。

Lǜshī jiànyì wǒmen zǐxì yánjiū hétóng zhōng de suǒyǒu tiáokuǎn, yǐ quèbǎo wǒmen de quányì dédào bǎohù.

The lawyer suggested that we carefully study all the clauses in the contract to ensure our rights are protected.
4
这项新法律包含多个复杂的条款，需要专业人士来解释。

Zhè xiàng xīn fǎlǜ bāohán duō gè fùzá de tiáokuǎn, xūyào zhuānyè rénshì lái jiěshì.

This new law contains multiple complex clauses that require professionals to interpret.
5
即使合同已经签署，任何一方仍可就某些条款进行谈判。

Jíshǐ hétóng yǐjīng qiānshǔ, rènhé yī fāng réng kě jiù mǒuxiē tiáokuǎn jìnxíng tánpàn.

Even after the contract is signed, either party can still negotiate certain clauses.
6
新的商业合同中有一条条款规定了客户的付款期限。

Xīn de shāngyè hétóng zhōng yǒu yī tiáo tiáokuǎn guīdìng le kèhù de fùkuǎn qīxiàn.

There is a clause in the new business contract that specifies the payment terms for the client.
7
在仲裁过程中，法官强调了双方必须遵守合同中的每一个条款。

Zài zhòngcái guòchéng zhōng, fǎguān qiángdiàole shuāngfāng bìxū zūnshǒu hétóng zhōng de měi yīgè tiáokuǎn.

During the arbitration process, the judge emphasized that both parties must adhere to every clause in the contract.
8
由于监管变化，公司必须重新审核合同中的相关条款以保持合规。

Yóuyú jiānguǎn biànhuà, gōngsī bìxū chóngxīn shěnhé hétóng zhōng de xiāngguān tiáokuǎn yǐ bǎochí héguī.

Due to regulatory changes, the company must review the relevant clauses in the contract to maintain compliance.
n>项[xiàng]2
9
公司决定修改合同中的几项条款，以适应新的市场需求。

Gōngsī juédìng xiūgǎi hétóng zhōng de jǐ xiàng tiáokuǎn, yǐ shìyìng xīn de shìchǎng xūqiú.

The company decided to amend several clauses in the contract to adapt to new market demands.
10
在签署协议之前，请仔细阅读每一项条款，以避免误解。

Zài qiānshǔ xiéyì zhīqián, qǐng zǐxì yuèdú měi yī xiàng tiáokuǎn, yǐ bìmiǎn wùjiě.

Before signing the agreement, please carefully read each clause to avoid misunderstandings.

Cultural Notes for 条款

🏮Cultural insight

In Chinese business culture, contracts are often seen as binding agreements that reflect trust and mutual respect.条款 play a crucial role in ensuring that all parties understand their obligations and rights, which is vital in maintaining harmony in business relationships.

Frequently Asked Questions about 条款

条款 refers specifically to clauses in contracts, while 规定 refers to regulations or rules that govern behavior.