时效 (shí xiào) — period of effectiveness; validity period; (law) statute of limitations; prescriptive period; (metallurgy) aging; age-hardening treatment

Definition

Examples

• 这份合同的有效期为三年，已经过了时效。
  Zhè fèn hé tong de yǒu xiào qī wèi sān nián, yǐ jīng guò le shí xiào.
  The validity period of this contract is three years, and it has already expired.
• 法律规定的时效是两年。
  Fǎ lǜ guī dìng de shí xiào shì liǎng nián.
  The statute of limitations prescribed by law is two years.
• 时效处理能使金属变硬。
  shí xiào Chǔ lǐ néng shǐ jīn shǔ biàn yìng.
  Aging treatment can harden metal.