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长效 (cháng xiào) — (noun) long-term effectiveness, sustained effect; (adjective) long-acting, long-lasting, sustained-release

Definition

长效 emphasizes lasting *effectiveness* of something (a drug, policy, mechanism), not just duration. Pairs with 长期 (a long timeframe) and 持久 (enduring quality) but stresses that the effect actually works over time.

noun
long-term effectivenesssustained effect
adjective
long-actinglong-lastingsustained-release

Examples

  • 长效。
    Yī shēng jiàn yì shǐ yòng cháng xiào yào wù lái kòng zhì màn xìng bìng.
    The doctor recommends using long-acting medication to control chronic diseases.
  • 长效。
    Zhèng fǔ zhèng zài jiàn lì cháng xiào de huán bǎo jiān guǎn jī zhì.
    The government is establishing a long-term effective environmental supervision mechanism.
  • 长效。
    Zhè kuǎn cháng xiào fáng shài shuāng néng chí xù bǎo hù pí fū bā xiǎo shí.
    This long-lasting sunscreen can continuously protect the skin for eight hours.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

长chánglong
效xiàoeffect

长效 combines 长 (long) and 效 (effect), meaning an effect that lasts a long time.

Characters in this word

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 長; 长 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 長 pictures an old man with long hair. The simplified 长 is a later shorthand, so its strokes do not show that original picture.

Open 长 →

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 7-9

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