有效性 (yǒu xiào xìng) — effectiveness; validity

Definition

A formal written noun. 有效性 stresses 'how well something works' (effectiveness) or 'legally still in force' (validity) — the -性 suffix makes it abstract and nominal.

noun
effectivenessvalidity

Examples

  • 有效性。
    Zhè zhǒng fāng fǎ de yǒu xiào xìng hái xū yào jìn yí bù yán jiū.
    The effectiveness of this method still needs further research.
  • 有效性。
    Hé tong de yǒu xiào xìng shì sān gè yuè.
    The validity of the contract is three months.
  • 有效性。
    Wǒ men cè shì le xì tǒng de yǒu xiào xìng.
    We tested the effectiveness of the system.

Origin

Derived word
构词法gòucífǎ
后缀hòuzhuìSuffix

A fixed syllable at the end that turns the word into a noun, a person, a place or the like.

有效having effect
有yǒuhave效xiàoeffect
动宾Verb + object
性xìngquality

有效 (having effect) and 性 (quality) give the quality of being effective.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
肉肉ròumeat
Sound part声符shēngfú
又
又yòu有yǒu
Same sound today

The form 有 combines 又, used for its sound, with a shape from 肉, 'meat'; the hand-holding-meat story is a folk explanation, not shown in the oldest shape.

Open 有 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
攵Written in full as攴pūto strike; action
Sound part声符shēngfú
交
交jiāo效xiào
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

效 pairs 攵 (written in full as 攴), meaning “to strike; action,” with 交, which gives the sound.

Open 效 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
忄Written in full as心xīnheart
Sound part声符shēngfú
生
生shēng性xìng
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

性 is built from 忄 (the heart) and 生 (a sound clue). The heart part connects the word to a person's inner nature or quality.

Open 性 →

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