The kanji for STATE or CONDITION combines a 'half-log' or 'bed' (爿) on the left with 'dog' (犬) on the right. Imagine a dog (犬) lying on a simple wooden bed (爿) — you can easily observe its current *state* or *condition*.
'Jō' — sounds like 'show'. The *state* or *condition* of something is what it *shows*.