効率(こうりつ)

The ratio of useful output to total input. Very common in business, engineering, and daily life to describe how well resources (time, energy, money) are used.

Common collocations

• 効率(こうりつ)がいい/悪(わる)い: efficient/inefficient
• 効率(こうりつ)を上(あ)げる: to improve efficiency
• 効率(こうりつ)が落(お)ちる: efficiency drops
• 作業(さぎょう)効率(こうりつ): work efficiency
• 燃費(ねんぴ)効率(こうりつ): fuel efficiency

Forms

• 効率的(こうりつてき)（な）: efficient (na-adjective — extremely common)
• 効率(こうりつ)化(か): making things more efficient
• 非効率(ひこうりつ): inefficiency

Similar words

• 能率(のうりつ): productivity, efficiency (more focused on human labor)
• 生産性(せいさんせい): productivity (economic term)