qīng'éryìjǔ: 轻而易举 - Easy, Effortless, With No Difficulty

• Keywords: Qingeryiju, qīng'éryìjǔ, 轻而易举, Chinese idiom for easy, effortless Chinese phrase, piece of cake in Chinese, Chinese chengyu, HSK 5 vocabulary, how to say something is easy in Chinese.
• Summary: 轻而易举 (qīng'éryìjǔ) is a common and highly descriptive Chinese idiom (chengyu) used to say something is extremely easy or can be done effortlessly. Literally meaning “light and easy to lift,” it's the perfect equivalent of English phrases like “a piece of cake” or “a walk in the park.” This guide will break down its meaning, cultural context, and practical usage with plenty of examples, helping you master this essential HSK 5 term.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): qīng'éryìjǔ
• Part of Speech: Adverbial Phrase / Chengyu (Idiom)
• HSK Level: HSK 5
• Concise Definition: Describes a task or action that is extremely easy to accomplish, requiring little to no effort.
• In a Nutshell: Imagine being asked to lift something. If it's incredibly light, you can pick it up without a second thought. This is the core image behind 轻而易举. It paints a picture of a task so simple and straightforward that completing it feels as effortless as lifting a feather. It emphasizes the lack of challenge or difficulty involved.

• 轻 (qīng): Light (in weight); gentle; not heavy.
• 而 (ér): A classical grammatical particle that connects the two parts, functioning like “and” or “and thus”.
• 易 (yì): Easy; simple.
• 举 (jǔ): To lift; to raise; to hold up.

These four characters combine to create a vivid metaphor: “light and thus easy to lift.” This physical description of an effortless action is then applied to any task, whether physical, mental, or abstract, that is considered very easy to do.

As a 成语 (chéngyǔ), or four-character idiom, 轻而易举 is a product of China's long literary history. Using chengyu like this demonstrates a higher level of fluency and cultural understanding. They are concise, elegant, and often carry a story or a vivid image from classical texts. A great Western comparison is the idiom “a piece of cake.” Both phrases are metaphorical and non-literal. An English speaker knows that a task described as “a piece of cake” has nothing to do with actual cake; it's just easy and pleasant. Similarly, a Chinese speaker understands that a task described as 轻而易举 isn't necessarily about lifting something. The key difference is the source of the metaphor:

• 轻而易举: Based on a physical, practical action (lifting something light).
• A piece of cake: Based on a simple, pleasurable experience (eating a sweet treat).

While the meaning is nearly identical, the imagery reflects a subtle cultural difference in metaphorical thinking. Using 轻而易举 correctly shows that you're not just translating words, but also thinking in a more culturally Chinese way.

轻而易举 is a common idiom used in both spoken and written Chinese. It's not overly formal or archaic, making it suitable for a wide range of situations.

• As an Adverb: Its most common function is to modify a verb, describing how an action is done. It's often followed by the particle `地 (de)`. The structure is: Subject + 轻而易举地 + Verb + Object.
• Connotation: The connotation is generally neutral to positive, simply stating that something is easy. However, depending on the tone of voice and context, it can sometimes imply arrogance or overconfidence. For example, saying “I can do that 轻而易举” might sound boastful.
• Usage Scenarios: You can use it to talk about passing an exam, winning a competition, solving a problem, fixing something, or accomplishing any goal that turned out to be less challenging than expected.

• Example 1:
  • 对他来说，解决这个数学题是轻而易举的。
  • Pinyin: Duì tā lái shuō, jiějué zhège shùxué tí shì qīng'éryìjǔ de.
  • English: For him, solving this math problem is a piece of cake.
  • Analysis: This is a classic example showing how the idiom describes an intellectual task as being very easy for a particular person.
• Example 2:
  • 她轻而易举地通过了驾驶考试。
  • Pinyin: Tā qīng'éryìjǔ de tōngguò le jiàshǐ kǎoshì.
  • English: She passed the driving test with no effort.
  • Analysis: Here, it's used with `地 (de)` to directly modify the verb “passed” (通过), showing the manner in which the action was completed.
• Example 3:
  • 我以为这个项目会很难，没想到我们轻而易举就完成了。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ yǐwéi zhège xiàngmù huì hěn nán, méi xiǎngdào wǒmen qīng'éryìjǔ jiù wánchéng le.
  • English: I thought this project would be very difficult, but unexpectedly we completed it with ease.
  • Analysis: This sentence highlights the contrast between expectation (difficult) and reality (easy).
• Example 4:
  • 凭他的实力，赢得这场比赛应该是轻而易举的事。
  • Pinyin: Píng tā de shílì, yíngdé zhè chǎng bǐsài yīnggāi shì qīng'éryìjǔ de shì.
  • English: With his abilities, winning this match should be an effortless matter.
  • Analysis: This example shows confidence in someone else's skills. It describes winning as an “easy matter” (轻而易举的事).
• Example 5:
  • 不要以为成功可以轻而易举地获得，它需要努力和汗水。
  • Pinyin: Búyào yǐwéi chénggōng kěyǐ qīng'éryìjǔ de huòdé, tā xūyào nǔlì hé hànshuǐ.
  • English: Don't think that success can be obtained effortlessly; it requires hard work and sweat.
  • Analysis: This is a negative usage, often used in motivational or cautionary contexts to emphasize that something is *not* easy.
• Example 6:
  • 这位魔术师轻而易举地就把观众的手机变没了。
  • Pinyin: Zhè wèi móshùshī qīng'éryìjǔ de jiù bǎ guānzhòng de shǒujī biàn méi le.
  • English: The magician effortlessly made the audience member's phone disappear.
  • Analysis: Describes a skillful performance that appears easy to the performer.
• Example 7:
  • 那个小孩子轻而易举地爬上了那棵大树。
  • Pinyin: Nàge xiǎo háizi qīng'éryìjǔ de pá shàngle nà kē dà shù.
  • English: That little kid climbed up that big tree with great ease.
  • Analysis: A good example of describing a physical action that is easy for the subject.
• Example 8:
  • 如果你提前准备，找到一份好工作就不会那么轻而易举了。
  • Pinyin: Rúguǒ nǐ bù tíqián zhǔnbèi, zhǎodào yí fèn hǎo gōngzuò jiù bú huì nàme qīng'éryìjǔ le.
  • English: If you don't prepare in advance, finding a good job will not be so easy.
  • Analysis: Another negative construction, this time showing a conditional outcome.
• Example 9:
  • 他是个电脑天才，修复你的电脑对他来说轻而易举。
  • Pinyin: Tā shì ge diànnǎo tiāncái, xiūfù nǐ de diànnǎo duì tā lái shuō qīng'éryìjǔ.
  • English: He's a computer genius; fixing your computer is a breeze for him.
  • Analysis: Similar to example 1, this emphasizes someone's expertise in a certain field.
• Example 10:
  • 别把对手想得太简单，我们不可能轻而易举地获胜。
  • Pinyin: Bié bǎ duìshǒu xiǎng de tài jiǎndān, wǒmen bù kěnéng qīng'éryìjǔ de huòshèng.
  • English: Don't underestimate the opponent; it's impossible for us to win easily.
  • Analysis: Used here as a warning against overconfidence.

• Describes Tasks, Not People: The most common mistake for learners is to use 轻而易举 to describe a person's personality (e.g., “easy-going”). This is incorrect. It can only describe an action or a task.
  • Incorrect: `他是一个轻而易举的人。` (Tā shì yí ge qīng'éryìjǔ de rén.)
  • Reason: This literally means “He is an effortless person,” which is nonsensical. To say someone is easy-going, you should use words like `随和 (suíhe)`.
  • Correct: `他轻而易举地完成了任务。` (Tā qīng'éryìjǔ de wánchéng le rènwù.) - He completed the task effortlessly.
• Fixed Phrase (Chengyu): As an idiom, you cannot change the characters or their order. For example, you cannot say `轻而难举` (light and hard to lift) or `重而易举` (heavy and easy to lift). The four characters form a single, inseparable unit of meaning.

• Synonyms (Similar Meaning):
  • 容易 (róngyì) - The most common and direct word for “easy.” 轻而易举 is more descriptive and emphatic.
  • 简单 (jiǎndān) - Means “simple” or “uncomplicated.” While a simple task is usually easy, 简单 focuses on the lack of complexity, whereas 轻而易举 focuses on the lack of effort.
  • 易如反掌 (yì rú fǎn zhǎng) - Another chengyu meaning “as easy as turning over one's hand.” It is a very close synonym and is used interchangeably with 轻而易举.
  • 不费吹灰之力 (bú fèi chuī huī zhī lì) - A vivid chengyu meaning “without spending the effort to blow away dust.” It strongly emphasizes that an action required absolutely no effort.
• Antonyms (Opposite Meaning):
  • 困难 (kùnnán) - The standard word for “difficult” or “difficulty.”
  • 难 (nán) - The most common single character for “hard” or “difficult.”
  • 来之不易 (lái zhī bú yì) - An idiom meaning “hard-earned” or “not easily come by.” It's often used to describe success, happiness, or opportunities that required great effort.
  • 难于上青天 (nán yú shàng qīng tiān) - A classic idiom meaning “harder than climbing to the blue sky.” Used to describe something that is extremely difficult or nearly impossible.