绩效 (jì xiào) is a compound noun meaning 'performance', especially in organizational, managerial, or professional contexts. The first character 绩 (jì) means 'achievement' or 'merit', often referring to measurable results or accomplishments. The second character 效 (xiào) means 'effect', 'efficacy', or 'outcome'. Together, they emphasize the tangible, evaluated results of work — not just effort, but impact and effectiveness. It is commonly used in HR, business, government, and education settings when discussing appraisals, KPIs (key performance indicators), bonuses, promotions, or improvement plans.

This term carries a formal, institutional tone and rarely appears in casual daily speech. It implies quantifiable or assessable output — for example, sales figures, project completion rates, or student test scores — rather than subjective qualities like attitude or effort alone. While it can apply broadly (e.g., 'team performance'), it almost always suggests evaluation by an authority or system, making it central to modern management discourse in Chinese-speaking workplaces.