‘条例’ (tiáo lì) is a formal noun meaning ‘regulation’ or ‘ordinance’ — a written rule established by a government, organization, or institution to govern behavior or procedures. The character 条 (tiáo) originally meant ‘strip’ or ‘item’, and here functions as a classifier for individual provisions or clauses; 例 (lì) means ‘example’, ‘precedent’, or ‘case’, and in this compound conveys the idea of an established, authoritative model or standard. Together, 条例 emphasizes codified, official rules that are more specific and binding than general laws (法律) but less comprehensive than statutes.

This term appears frequently in legal, administrative, and corporate contexts — for example, city traffic regulations, workplace safety rules, or university academic policies. It is rarely used in casual speech and carries a formal, bureaucratic register. You’ll often see it in titles like ‘《北京市生活垃圾管理条例》’ (Beijing Municipal Domestic Waste Management Regulation), where it signals an official, enforceable set of provisions.