施行

• Pinyin: shī xíng
• Hanzi breakdown: 施 = 方 + 也 (to execute, to apply); 行 = 彳 + 亍 (to go, to carry out, to be in force)

Meaning

To implement; to put into effect; to enforce. To formally execute a law, policy, or measure.

More formal than 实行 or 执行. 施行 is specifically associated with the official enactment and enforcement of laws, regulations, and formal decisions. Common in legal and governmental language. Collocations: 正式施行 (formally take effect), 依法施行 (implemented in accordance with the law), 开始施行 (come into force), 施行细则 (implementing rules).

Examples

1. 该法律自本月一日起正式施行，违反者将依法承担相应的民事或刑事责任。 This law officially takes effect on the first of this month, and violators will bear the corresponding civil or criminal liability in accordance with the law.
2. 改革方案经国务院批准后，各地须在六个月内完成配套政策的制定工作，确保新制度顺利施行。 After the State Council approves the reform plan, all localities must finish drafting the supporting policies within six months to ensure the new system is implemented smoothly.
3. 主刀医生在手术前向患者家属详细说明了将要施行的手术方案及可能面临的风险。 Before the operation, the lead surgeon explained in detail to the patient’s family the surgical plan that would be carried out and the potential risks involved.

Usage Guide

Context: law, government, policy, medicine

Tone: authoritative

Do Say

• 修订后的个人信息保护条例将于下一季度起正式施行，所有互联网平台须在此之前完成合规整改工作。(The revised personal information protection regulations will formally come into force from next quarter; all internet platforms must complete compliance rectification work before that date.)
• 外科团队决定对该患者施行微创手术，以最大限度减少创伤并缩短术后康复周期。(The surgical team decided to perform minimally invasive surgery on the patient in order to minimise trauma and shorten the post-operative recovery period as much as possible.)

Don't Say

• 施行 loosely to mean 'do' or 'carry out' everyday tasks — use 执行 for task execution or 实行 for general practice; 施行 is reserved for laws, formal decisions, and medical procedures

Origin & History

施 (to apply, to carry out) + 行 (to carry out, to go into effect)

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal