If you’ve ever tried to say “result” in Chinese, you may have noticed that there are three different words for it:
结果 (jiéguǒ), 效果 (xiàoguǒ), and 成果 (chéngguǒ).
They all look similar. They all show up in textbooks. And yes—they can all be translated as result in English. So how do you know which one to use?
Let’s break it down in a simple, practical way so you can start using each one correctly.
结果 vs 效果 vs 成果｜How to Use the 3 Chinese "Result" Words Correctly
1. 结果 (jiéguǒ) — The Final Outcome
结果 tells you what happened in the end.
It’s the final situation after something has happened.
Think of it as the ending of a story, event, or process.
Examples:
- 考试的结果出来了。
Kǎoshì de jiéguǒ chūlái le.
The exam result is out. - 下雨的结果是比赛被取消了。
Xiàyǔ de jiéguǒ shì bǐsài bèi qǔxiāo le.
The outcome of the rain was that the game got canceled. - 比赛结果将在明天公布。
The result of the competition will be announced tomorrow.
Use 结果 when you want to talk about the ending of something.
2. 效果 (xiàoguǒ) — The Effect or Performance
效果 refers to how effective something is or what kind of impact it has.
It’s about performance, effectiveness, or how well something works—not the final ending.
Examples:
- 这种药的效果很好。
Zhè zhǒng yào de xiàoguǒ hěn hǎo.
This medicine works really well. - 他说话很有效果。
Tā shuōhuà hěn yǒu xiàoguǒ.
His words were very effective. - 这则新广告的宣传效果非常好。
The promotional effect of this new advertisement is very good.
Use 效果 when talking about effectiveness or impact.
3. 成果 (chéngguǒ) — The Achievement (Usually Positive)
成果 is more formal and refers to the fruits of your effort—the achievements or accomplishments you gain after working hard.
This word has a positive, almost proud tone.
Examples:
- 科学家的研究成果很重要。
The scientist’s research achievements are very important. - 这些都是我们努力的成果。
These are the results of our hard work. - 这座大桥的顺利通车是工程建设者的伟大成果。
The smooth opening of this bridge is a great achievement by the construction workers.
Use 成果 when you want to highlight meaningful, positive accomplishments.
Quick Summary
| Word | Meaning | Use it for… |
|---|---|---|
| 结果 | final outcome | What happened in the end |
| 效果 | effect / performance | How well something works |
| 成果 | achievement | Positive results earned through effort |
Final Tip
Next time you want to say “result” in Chinese, just remember:
Talking about the ending? → 结果
Talking about effectiveness? → 效果
Talking about achievements from effort? → 成果
Simple, right? 
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Happy learning, and see you next time! 
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