Meaning of 轻易
Definitions from CC-CEDICT.
- easy; simple
- rashly; offhandedly
How to use 轻易
轻易 is most common as an adverb in negative sentences, meaning someone does not do something easily or casually. It often appears with 不 or 不会. Example: 他从不轻易放弃。(Tā cóng bù qīngyì fàngqì.) He never gives up easily.
轻易 combines 轻 (qīng, light) and 易 (yì, easy, as in 容易 róngyì). Something light and easy is done without effort, or done too lightly, without careful thought.
Common mistake: Learners often use 轻易 where 容易 (róngyì) fits better, as in saying 这个题很轻易. For describing something as easy, use 容易. Use 轻易 for doing something lightly or rashly, usually before a verb.
轻易 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Stroke order for each character
Open a character for its meaning, components and more words.
轻 qīng · light · 9 strokes
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易 yì · to change · 8 strokes
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Related words
Words that share a character with 轻易.
| 年轻 | niánqīng | young |
| 容易 | róngyì | easy; straightforward; likely; liable to; apt to |
| 交易 | jiāoyì | to deal; to trade; to transact; transaction; deal |
| 轻松 | qīngsōng | light; gentle |
| 贸易 | màoyì | (commercial) trade |
| 减轻 | jiǎnqīng | to lighten; to ease |
| 不易 | bùyì | not easy to do sth; difficult |
| 好不容易 | hǎobùróngyì | with great difficulty; very difficult |
| 好容易 | hǎoróngyì | (idiomatic usage) with great difficulty; to have a hard time (convincing sb, relinquishing |
| 轻微 | qīngwēi | slight; light |
| 显而易见 | xiǎn'éryìjiàn | clearly and easy to see (idiom); obviously; clearly |
| 轻而易举 | qīng'éryìjǔ | easy; with no difficulty |
Questions about 轻易
What does 轻易 mean?
轻易 (qīngyì) means "easy; simple; rashly; offhandedly" and is used as a adjective and adverb.
How do you write 轻易?
轻易 is made of 2 characters: 轻 (9 strokes), 易 (8 strokes). That is 17 strokes in total.
Is 轻易 an HSK word?
Yes. 轻易 is on the HSK 4 vocabulary list of the HSK 3.0 standard.
How is 轻易 written in traditional Chinese?
In traditional characters, 轻易 is written 輕易.
Can 轻易 mean rashly or without thinking?
Yes. In sentences like 不要轻易相信别人 (bú yào qīngyì xiāngxìn biérén), it means do not trust others too readily. Here it warns against acting carelessly.
Is 轻易 usually used in positive or negative sentences?
It appears mostly in negative or cautionary sentences with 不, 别, or 不会. Positive uses like 他轻易赢了比赛 (tā qīngyì yíng le bǐsài, he won the match easily) exist but are less common.