‘条件’ (tiáojiàn) is a noun meaning 'condition' or 'requirement'—something that must be met for a particular result to happen. The character 条 (tiáo) originally meant 'strip' or 'item', and 件 (jiàn) means 'item' or 'piece'; together, they convey the idea of discrete, countable conditions or stipulations. It’s commonly used in formal, academic, or practical contexts—such as job applications, scientific experiments, contract terms, or everyday decision-making.

This word often appears in structures like ‘满足条件’ (mǎnzú tiáojiàn, 'to meet the conditions'), ‘基本条件’ (jīběn tiáojiàn, 'basic requirement'), or ‘有利条件’ (yǒulì tiáojiàn, 'favorable condition'). Unlike the English word 'condition', which can also mean physical state (e.g., 'in good condition'), 条件 never refers to health or physical status—it strictly denotes prerequisites or circumstances necessary for an outcome.