轻而易举
轻而易举 (qīng ér yì jǔ) literally means “light and easy to lift” and expresses “easy; effortless”. This idiom is used when describing situations involving success and perseverance.
Also searched as: qing er yi ju, qing er yi ju,轻而易举 meaning, 轻而易举 in english
Easy; effortless
Pronunciation: qīng ér yì jǔ Literal meaning: Light and easy to lift
Origin & Usage
Light (轻) and therefore easy (易) to lift (举). The image is of picking something up and finding it weighs nothing, which is a particular kind of ease: the difficulty was expected and failed to materialise. That is why the phrase is as much about the lifter as the load, and why it can be quietly deflating — to describe an achievement this way concedes it was done well and denies that it cost anything. The same words serve admiration and dismissal, and the difference lies entirely in who is speaking.
Examples
English: "For an expert, solving this problem was effortless."
Chinese: 对于专家来说，解决这个问题轻而易举。
Related Chinese Idioms
Similar idioms about success & perseverance
举重若轻
jǔ zhòng ruò qīng
Make difficult look easy
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明枪易躲
míng qiāng yì duǒ
Open threats easier than hidden
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以羊易牛
yǐ yáng yì niú
Substitute one thing for another
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长话短说
cháng huà duǎn shuō
Make a long story short
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道听途说
dào tīng tú shuō
Unreliable information from casual hearsay
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拐弯抹角
guǎi wān mò jiǎo
Speak or act in deliberately indirect manner
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名副其实
míng fù qí shí
Living up to one's name or reputation
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大同小异
dà tóng xiǎo yì
Essentially the same with minor differences
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does 轻而易举 mean in English?
轻而易举 (qīng ér yì jǔ) literally translates to “Light and easy to lift” and is used to express “Easy; effortless”. This Chinese idiom belongs to the Success & Perseverance category.
When is 轻而易举 used?
Situation: For an expert, solving this problem was effortless.
What is the pinyin for 轻而易举?
The pinyin pronunciation for 轻而易举 is “qīng ér yì jǔ”.