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高效 (gāo xiào) — efficient, highly effective

Definition

高效 stresses high output per effort — a 'highly effective' way of working or doing things. Unlike 快捷 (about speed) or 得力 (about people being capable), it describes a method or process.

adjective
efficienthighly effective

Examples

  • 高效。
    Zhè ge xì tǒng fēi cháng gāo xiào.
    This system is very efficient.
  • 高效。
    Tā men cǎi yòng le yì zhǒng gāo xiào de guǎn lǐ fāng shì.
    They adopted an efficient management method.
  • 高效？
    Rú hé tí gāo gāo xiào de gōng zuò néng lì?
    How to improve the ability to work efficiently?

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.

高gāohigh
效xiàoeffect

高 shows a high degree, and 效 refers to effect or efficiency.

Characters in this word

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

高 was drawn as a tall building.

Open 高 →

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 5Good & Bad

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