执行 (zhíxíng) means 'to carry out, execute, implement' — it emphasizes putting a specific order, plan, or task into action, often in a work or legal context. It is more concrete and action-oriented than 进行 (jìnxíng, 'to conduct, be in progress'), which is a general formal verb for ongoing activities. Compared to 实施 (shíshī) and 实行 (shíxíng), which stress starting a policy or system, 执行 focuses on following through on a given directive.