TongTong
Sign in

见效 (jiàn xiào) — to take effect; to produce the desired result

Definition

见效 focuses on the moment a treatment or method starts producing results. Unlike 生效 (a law/contract becoming legally valid), it describes tangible outcomes of an action or remedy.

verb
to take effectto produce the desired result

Examples

  • 见效。
    Zhè zhǒng yào chī xià qù jiù néng jiàn xiào.
    This kind of medicine will take effect as soon as you take it.
  • ，见效。
    Zhè ge fāng fǎ hěn yǒu xiào, jiān chí yòng yí dìng néng jiàn xiào.
    This method is very effective; if you keep using it, it will definitely produce results.
  • 见效？
    Xīn de bàn fǎ shén me shí hou cái néng jiàn xiào?
    When will the new approach start to take effect?

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

见jiànshow
效xiàoeffect

“见” (show) and “效” (effect) combine to mean an effect becomes visible.

Characters in this word

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 見; 见 is its simplified writing.

  • 目目mùeye
  • 卩卩jiékneeling person

The traditional form 見 pairs 目 (eye) with 卩 (kneeling person), showing a kneeling figure with a large eye for a head. The simplified 见 is a later shorthand.

Open 见 →

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 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9Medicine & Treatment

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.