条约 (tiáoyuē) — treaty
HSK 5 | noun | a formally concluded and ratified agreement between states
条约 (tiáoyuē)
A formally negotiated and ratified agreement between two or more sovereign states, binding under international law -- the highest form of international legal commitment.
Meanings
- [noun] treaty, international agreement, pact
Example Sentences
两国正式签署了自由贸易条约。 Liǎng guó zhèngshì qiānshǔle zìyóu màoyì tiáoyuē. The two countries formally signed a free trade treaty.
这项条约在第二次世界大战结束后对国际秩序的重建发挥了重要作用。 Zhè xiàng tiáoyuē zài dì èr cì shìjiè dàzhàn jiéshù hòu duì guójì zhìxù de chóngjiàn fāhuīle zhòngyào zuòyòng. This treaty played an important role in rebuilding international order after the end of World War II.
违反国际条约将使该国面临严重的外交后果。 Wéifǎn guójì tiáoyuē jiāng shǐ gāi guó miànlín yánzhòng de wàijiāo hòuguǒ. Violating international treaties will cause the country to face serious diplomatic consequences.
该条约的核心内容是双方互相承认对方的主权。 Gāi tiáoyuē de héxīn nèiróng shì shuāngfāng hùxiāng chéngrèn duìfāng de zhǔquán. The core content of the treaty is mutual recognition of each other's sovereignty.
多个国家已经批准了这项气候条约。 Duō gè guójiā yǐjīng pīzhǔnle zhè xiàng qìhòu tiáoyuē. Several countries have already ratified this climate treaty.
历史上，不平等条约曾给中国带来深重的民族苦难。 Lìshǐ shàng, bù píngděng tiáoyuē céng gěi Zhōngguó dài lái shēnzhòng de mínzú kǔnàn. Historically, unequal treaties once brought deep national suffering to China.
Collocations
| Collocation | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 签署条约 (qiānshǔ tiáoyuē) | to sign a treaty |
| 批准条约 (pīzhǔn tiáoyuē) | to ratify a treaty |
| 违反条约 (wéifǎn tiáoyuē) | to violate a treaty |
| 不平等条约 (bù píngděng tiáoyuē) | unequal treaty |
| 和平条约 (hépíng tiáoyuē) | peace treaty |
| 国际条约 (guójì tiáoyuē) | international treaty |
Usage Notes
条约 is used exclusively for agreements between sovereign states. The phrase 不平等条约 (unequal treaties) has deep historical resonance in China, referring to the treaties imposed on China by foreign powers in the 19th and early 20th centuries -- a concept central to modern Chinese national identity and historical consciousness.
Compare with 协议 (agreement, more general, can be between private parties) and 公约 (convention, often multilateral like 联合国公约). 条约 is strictly international and bilateral or multilateral.
Memory Hook
条 = article/strip (as in numbered clauses). 约 = agreement/appointment (约定 = agreement). A 条约 is an agreement made up of binding article-strips -- a formal multilateral rulebook between nations.