成效显著

Use it as a predicate to describe a project or a habit. You usually place it after a subject like 'reform,' 'treatment,' or 'study plan.' For example, 'His diet plan was 成效显著.' It sounds polished and confident. It is like wearing a well-tailored suit to a meeting. It makes you sound like you know exactly what happened. Use it when the data backs you up. Or use it when the visual change is undeniable.

Use it in the office when a marketing campaign kills it. Use it with your doctor when your health improves. Use it when you're bragging (humbly) about your new skincare routine. It works great in written reports. It also works in serious conversations about progress. If you've been practicing piano and finally played a Mozart piece, tell your teacher your practice was 成效显著.

Avoid it for tiny, accidental wins. If you found a penny on the street, that's not 成效显著. Don't use it for purely emotional things either. You wouldn't say your love for pizza is 成效显著. That just sounds weird. It requires a process that led to a result. Also, keep it out of super slangy chats with teenagers. They might think you're reading from a government document.

Chinese culture highly values tangible results and 'face.' This phrase provides a way to praise someone's work without being overly flowery. It focuses on the objective outcome. In modern China, you'll see this in every news broadcast. It's the gold standard for describing national progress. It reflects a society that prizes efficiency and visible improvement.

If you want to sound even more formal, use 卓有成效. It means 'highly effective.' If the results are just starting to show, try 初见成效. That means 'beginning to see results.' For something that works instantly, you might hear 立竿见影. That literally means 'set up a pole and see the shadow.' It's a bit more poetic than our main phrase.