The Chinese word 效率 (xiàolǜ), meaning "efficiency", is a logical, modern compound formed by combining two meaningful characters: 效 (xiào), which carries the core meanings of "effect", "result", or "effectiveness", and 率 (lǜ), which denotes "rate", "ratio", or "proportion". Together, they create a conceptual unit that literally translates to "the rate of effectiveness" or "the ratio of output to input", perfectly capturing the essence of efficiency as a measurable relationship between the work accomplished and the resources or time expended. This formation exemplifies how modern Chinese often constructs precise technical or abstract terms by combining classical roots into new, semantically transparent compounds.