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立竿见影

立竿見影
lìgānjiànyǐng
idiom #43,113

Meanings

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

Examples

这种新药立竿见影，一喝就不疼了。
Zhè zhǒng xīn yào lìgānjiànyǐng, yī hē jiù bù téng le.
This new medicine works instantly — one dose and the pain is gone.
广告效果立竿见影，销量马上翻了一倍。
Guǎnggào xiàoguǒ lìgānjiànyǐng, xiāoliàng mǎshàng fān le yī bèi.
The ad had an immediate effect — sales doubled right away.
别指望学外语能立竿见影，得长期积累。
Bié zhǐwàng xué wàiyǔ néng lìgānjiànyǐng, 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

立 lì
竿 gān
见 jiàn
影 yǐng