noun
matter of chance; touch and go
Refers to something whose outcome depends on luck or circumstances, often used in contexts like gambling or uncertain situations.
勝負は調子物だから、最後までわからない。
The match is a matter of chance, so you never know until the end.
天気は調子物で、予報が外れることもある。
The weather is touch and go; forecasts can be wrong.
運任せ emphasizes leaving things to luck, while 調子物 focuses on the uncertain, chance-dependent nature of the situation itself.
Compound of 調子 (condition, state) and 物 (thing). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but it likely refers to something whose state or outcome is variable.