立竿见影
lì gān jiàn yǐng
to bring instant results
Character by character
立lì
set up
set up
竿gān
pole
pole
见jiàn
see
see
影yǐng
shadow
shadow
Example
这种止痛药效果立竿见影，吃下去半小时就不疼了。
This painkiller works instantly: half an hour after taking it the pain is gone.
Tone: neutral.
Usage and origin
Set a pole in the sun and its shadow appears at once. Used of measures, methods and medicines: 收到立竿见影的效果. Often in the negative, as a warning that results take time: 不可能立竿见影.
Learn this in Lesson 122 · HSK 7–9: 九二四行情 (Finance news: the September 2024 rally)
A dialogue, a reading, word cards with audio and a drill that uses it, in Learn Chinese with Bao. The first lessons of every level are free.
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