立竿见影

立竿見影
lìgān-jiànyǐng
idiom #43,113

Meanings

  1. 1 to set up a pole and immediately see its shadow
  2. 2 to produce immediate results
  3. 3 instant effect

Examples

HSK 3
Zhè zhǒng xīn yào lìgān-jiànyǐng, yī hē jiù bù téng le.
This new medicine works instantly - one dose and the pain is gone.
HSK 7-9
Guǎnggào xiàoguǒ lìgān-jiànyǐng, xiāoliàng mǎshàng fān le yī bèi.
The ad had an immediate effect - sales doubled right away.
HSK 7-9
Bié zhǐwàng xué wàiyǔ néng lìgān-jiànyǐng, děi chángqī jīlěi.
Don't expect instant results when learning a foreign language - it takes long-term accumulation.

Tips

memory
Literally 'stand the pole (立竿), see the shadow (见影)' - sun hits the pole the instant it's up. Picture a sundial: no waiting.
history
From the Han-dynasty Daoist text 《参同契》 by 魏伯阳: 立竿见影,呼谷传响 - as predictable as a pole casting a shadow in sunlight.

Stroke Order

竿 gān
jiàn
yǐng