counter for lines, streaks, rays
Counts long, thin things such as lines, stripes, beams of light, or streaks. Used with native Japanese numbers or Sino-Japanese numbers depending on context.
A single ray of light shone through the clouds.
Archaic or literary conjunction used in the pattern とは言い条. Equivalent to modern とは言っても or とはいえ.
Archaic or formal conjunction used in letters and classical writing to indicate a reason. Modern equivalents include ので or から.
jō (historical city division)
Historical term referring to a north-south division in the jō-bō grid system of ancient Japanese capitals like Heian-kyō. Not used in modern contexts.
See also: 条坊制
Please check Article 3 of the contract.
Although I am old, I still won't lose to the young ones.
As I am writing a seasonal greeting, please excuse me.
Heian-kyō was designed based on the jō-bō system, divided into east-west bō and north-south jō.
Article 9 of the Constitution renounces war.
A single ray of light streamed in through the window.
Even though he was busy, he should have been able to reply.
項 refers to a sub-clause or item within a 条 (article), while 条 itself denotes the numbered article or provision as a whole.
筋 is a general noun meaning a line, streak, or thread, whereas 条 works specifically as a counter attached to a number for rays, streaks, or lines.
状 (じょう) means a state, condition, or letter as in 状況, while 条 (じょう) refers to an article/clause or serves as a counter for lines, despite sharing the same pronunciation.
The kanji 条 originally depicted a tree branch and came to mean 'twig' or 'line,' later extended to 'article' or 'clause' in documents. The counter usage derives from the idea of long, thin items. The conjunction uses are classical Japanese grammaticalizations.
line; streak
rail (of a railroad)
conditioning
reason; logic; rationality
one line; one streak; one stripe; one ray; one wisp · one item; one clause; one passage · one matter; one affair; one incident
what article; what clause; what section · which street · how can one possibly; cannot possibly; there is no way
striation; ray system
each clause; each article; each item
layering (horticulture)
variegated streaks
rifling (of a gun barrel); cutting spiral grooves
rifling (of a gun barrel)
narrow hanging scroll
clause; article; provision; stipulation