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易如反掌 (yì rú fǎn zhǎng) — as easy as turning over one's hand; very easy

Definition

A chengyu meaning 'as easy as turning over one's hand' — a task is completely effortless for the person doing it. Stronger than 简单; stresses ease for the agent, not just the task itself.

idiom
as easy as turning over one's handvery easy

Examples

  • ，易如反掌。
    Duì tā lái shuō, jiě jué zhè ge wèn tí jiǎn zhí yì rú fǎn zhǎng.
    For him, solving this problem is as easy as turning over his hand.
  • ，易如反掌。
    Yǐ nǐ de jīng yàn, tōng guò zhè cì kǎo shì yīng gāi yì rú fǎn zhǎng.
    With your experience, passing this exam should be as easy as falling off a log.
  • 易如反掌。
    Zhè jiàn shì duì shú liàn de gōng jiàng lái shuō yì rú fǎn zhǎng.
    This task is as easy as turning over one's hand for a skilled craftsman.

Origin

Characters in this word

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

The early form of 易 was a drawing of a filled container, not a chameleon. It showed something full that could be given out.

Open 易 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
口口kǒumouth
Sound part声符shēngfú
女
女nǚ如rú
Same sound today

如 is built from 口 (mouth) for its meaning and 女 (woman) for its sound.

Open 如 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
又又yòuhand
Sound part声符shēngfú
厂
厂chǎng反fǎn
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

反 uses 又 (hand) for meaning and 厂 for sound. Its original shape showed a hand turning its palm over, giving the sense of return or reverse.

Open 反 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
手手shǒu
Sound part声符shēngfú
尚
尚shàng掌zhǎng
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

It combines 手, meaning hand, with 尚, which gives it a sound close to shàng.

Open 掌 →
Appears in
Idioms & Set Phrases

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