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灵验 (líng yàn) — efficacious; effective; accurate (of predictions, remedies, methods, etc.)

Definition

Used for remedies, methods, or predictions that actually work. Often carries a slight sense of 'surprisingly' or 'remarkably' effective, more emphatic than just 有效.

adjective
efficaciouseffectiveaccurate (of predictions, remedies, methods, etc.)

Examples

  • 灵验。
    Tā de yù yán hěn líng yàn.
    His prediction was very accurate.
  • 灵验，。
    Zhè ge yào fāng fēi cháng líng yàn, chī le sān tiān jiù hǎo le.
    This prescription is very effective; after taking it for three days, I got better.
  • 灵验，。
    Zhè ge fāng fǎ hěn líng yàn, měi cì dōu néng jiě jué wèn tí.
    This method is very effective; it solves the problem every time.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

灵língefficacious
验yànverified

灵 carries efficacy, and 验 carries being verified or coming true; together they mean effective and true.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 靈; 灵 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
玉玉yùjade
Sound part声符shēngfú
霝
霝líng靈líng
Same sound today

This note describes the traditional form 靈, not the simplified 灵: 霝 gives the sound, and 玉 (jade) is the meaning part.

Open 灵 →

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 驗; 验 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
馬馬mǎ
Sound part声符shēngfú
僉
僉qiān驗yàn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 驗 pairs 馬 (horse) with 僉 for sound; the simplified 验 is a later abbreviation.

Open 验 →
Appears in
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