Usage patterns 〈 事こと 〉 に 効き き 目め がある to be effective for/against something
This medicine is very effective for headaches.
利き き 目め を 調しら べる to check/determine one's dominant eye
You can find out your dominant eye with a simple test.
効き き 目め が 切き れる for an effect to wear off
It seems the medicine's effect is wearing off.
効き き 目め が 現あらわ れる for an effect to appear/kick in
The effect kicked in about thirty minutes after taking it.
効き き 目め が 薄うす い to have a weak/mild effect
This method doesn't seem to be very effective.
Kanji 効 merit, efficacy, efficiency 利 profit, advantage, benefit Related words 効果 is the formal, general word for an effect or result used in scientific, business, or everyday contexts, while 効き目 is a more colloquial word emphasizing a tangible, immediate effectiveness (esp. of medicine or methods).
効能 specifically denotes the beneficial or curative properties of something like medicine or health products, whereas 効き目 can describe any kind of effect, not necessarily beneficial.
効き目 is the common, concrete word for how well a medicine or method works, whereas 効 is a terse, formal term used in set phrases like 効を奏する .
効き目 is a casual, everyday word for how well something works (like medicine), while 効力 is more formal and can also mean legal validity.
効き目 is the general word for effect or efficacy, while 回り is limited to describing how alcohol or medicine takes hold in the body.
Written forms 効き き 目め Usage 94%
Standard kanji spelling for 'effect/efficacy'. High priority.
利き き 目め Usage 3%
Used specifically for 'dominant eye'. Also acceptable for 'effect' but less common.
効きき 目め Usage 2%
キキメ Usage 1%
Etymology Compound of 効き (kiki, 'effectiveness', from verb 効く kiku) + 目 (me, 'mark' or 'point'). The 目 here indicates a tangible result or point of effect. The spelling 利き目 for 'dominant eye' uses 利く (kiku, 'to be effective/functional') in the sense of 'functioning well'.
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