行之有效

to be effective (idiom)

Characters and words in 行之有效

row / line / commercial firm / line of business / profession / to rank (first, second etc) among one's siblings (by age) / (in data tables) row / (Tw) column

行

xíng = xi + (e)ng2

to walk / to go / to travel / a visit / temporary / makeshift / current / in circulation / to do / to perform / capable / competent / effective / all right / OK! / will do / behavior / conduct / Taiwan pr. [xing4] for the behavior-conduct sense

行 = 亍 + 彳 : Mnemonic symbol from "to travel": seven-league boots.

Xi Shi (xi) is tired of walking with a black sneaker on her left foot (彳) and a full armor boot on her right foot (亍). Fortunately she finds seven-league boots (行) in the engine's kitchen ((e)ng2).

之

zhi̅ = zh + Ø1

(possessive particle, literary equivalent of 的[de5]) / him / her / it

之 = 丶 + Z : Mnemonic symbol: Sooo sleepy... "zZz" (the character looks like a "Z"). James II of England (zh) fell asleep in front of the space station (Ø1). He sleeps on a big petal leaf (丶), making loud "zZz" (之) sounds.

有

yǒu = y + ou3

to have; there is / (bound form) having; with; -ful; -ed; -al (as in 有意[you3 yi4] intentional)

有 = 𠂇 + 月 : Mnemonic symbol: confetti.

In an act of revolution, with a pair of scissors (𠂇) Maud Younger (y) is cutting a paper moon (月) into tiny pieces in the outhouse's living room (ou3). There is (有) only confetti (有) left over.

有

yǒu

效

xiào

effective / in effect / valid

效

俲

xiào = xi + ao4

variant of 傚|效[xiao4]

效 = 交 + 攵 : Marie Curie (xi) and Linus Pauling (交) are testing their new special effects (效) equipment in the aorta's bathroom (ao4). Marie creates lots of fog by crushing a rock with a sledgehammer (攵), and Linus creates lots of sparks by crushing a flint stone with a sledgehammer.

效

傚

xiào = xi + ao4

variant of 效[xiao4] / to imitate