Definition
收效甚微 is a four-character set phrase (成语) meaning 'the results are very meager' or 'the effect is negligible'. It's used to describe an effort or investment that yields almost no return, often in formal or written contexts. The literal breakdown is 收效 (to gain results) + 甚微 (very slight). Unlike the English 'futile', which implies complete failure, 收效甚微 suggests that some effect exists but is disappointingly small.
l
to yield very little resultto have negligible effect
Examples
- ，收效甚微。Gōngsī tóurù le dàliàng zījīn, dàn shōu xiào shén.The company invested a large amount of money, but the results were negligible.
- ，收效甚微，。Zhè zhǒng xīn yào suīrán ānquán, dàn shōu xiào shén, bìngrén méiyǒu míngxiǎn hǎozhuǎn.This new drug is safe, but its effect is very slight — the patient hasn't shown obvious improvement.
- ，收效甚微，。Tā chángshì le gè zhǒng xuéxí fāngfǎ, què shōu xiào shén, chéngjì yīrán bù lǐxiǎng.He tried various study methods, but with little result — his grades were still unsatisfactory.
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