Meaning
生效 means when a law, regulation, agreement, policy, or medicine begins to work or become operative. The word combines 生 (to come into being, to produce) and 效 (effect, efficacy), literally meaning 'to produce effect.' It's commonly used in legal, administrative, and medical contexts to indicate when something officially starts working.
Usage
This is a formal term most often used in official, legal, or administrative contexts. You'll see it in contracts (合同生效), when discussing when laws take effect (法律生效), or when medicine starts working (药物生效). It's not typically used in casual conversation. The structure '从...起生效' (take effect from...) is very common.
Examples
- 01这项新政策将于下月一日起正式生效。.This new policy will officially take effect on the first day of next month.
- 02合同签字后立即生效。.The contract takes effect immediately upon signing.
Characters
Common collocations
- 立即生效to take effect immediately
- 正式生效to officially come into force
- 合同生效contract takes effect
- 从...起生效...to take effect from...
Antonyms
Origin
The compound combines 生 (to produce/give birth) with 效 (effect/result), creating the meaning of 'producing an effect' or 'bringing a result into being.' This usage became standard in modern Chinese legal and administrative language.