provisional

Compared meaning: not fixed or certain, depending on something else (adjective).

比较义项：尚不确定、需视情况而定，或只是临时性的安排（形容词）。

• tentative

  Describes something not yet firm or final—a plan, offer or agreement—without naming what it depends on; suggests hesitation or caution rather than an explicit outside condition.

  用来描述还不确定、还没最终定下来的事情——比如计划、提议或协议——但并不指明具体依赖于什么条件；强调的是犹豫或谨慎，而不是明确的外部条件。

  We made a tentative plan to meet for lunch next week.

  我们初步定了一个下周一起吃午饭的计划。

• contingent

  Means directly dependent on a specific future event that may or may not happen; often used with 'on/upon' in formal or business contexts, such as funding or weather.

  表示直接取决于某个可能发生也可能不发生的未来事件；常与“on / upon”搭配，用于正式或商务场合，比如取决于资金或天气。

  Our picnic plans are contingent on the weather staying dry.

  我们的野餐计划取决于天气是否保持干燥。

• provisional 本词

  Focuses on being temporary and expected to be replaced or confirmed later, especially for official arrangements like licenses or agreements, rather than depending on an event.

  强调的是临时性质，预期以后会被更换或正式确认，尤其用于官方安排，比如驾照或协议，而不是取决于某个事件。

  She received a provisional license until she passed the final test.

  在通过最终考试之前，她先拿到了一个临时驾照。

• conditional

  Stresses an explicit condition that must be satisfied first, often in formal, legal or contractual settings; similar to contingent but emphasizes the requirement itself, not just uncertainty.

  强调必须先满足一个明确的条件，常见于正式、法律或合同场合；与 contingent 类似，但更强调条件本身，而不只是不确定性。

  My approval of the plan is conditional on getting more funding.

  我对这个计划的批准是有条件的，前提是要获得更多资金。

Tentative, contingent, provisional, and conditional all mean uncertain, but they differ. Tentative means a plan is not yet firm. Contingent depends on a future event that may not happen. Provisional means temporary, to be replaced later. Conditional needs a clear condition to be met first.

这四个词都表示“不确定”或“需视其他事情而定”，但侧重点不同：tentative 强调计划或提议还没定下来、可能会改；contingent 强调结果取决于一个可能发生也可能不发生的事件；provisional 强调安排只是临时的，以后会被正式或永久的安排取代；conditional 强调有一个明确的条件必须先满足，语气更正式，常见于法律或合同场合。