毛毛雨 (máo máo yǔ) — drizzle (light rain); (figurative) something trivial, a piece of cake, not a big deal

Definition

Literally a very light rain ('drizzle'); figuratively, something trivial — 'a piece of cake' or 'no big deal'. Concrete noun for fine rain, used as a metaphor for effortless or insignificant things.

noun
drizzle (light rain)(figurative) something triviala piece of cakenot a big deal
Measure word · 阵

Examples

  • 毛毛雨，。
    Jīn tiān xià le máo máo yǔ, bú yòng dǎ sǎn.
    It's drizzling today, no need to use an umbrella.
  • 毛毛雨，。
    Zhè dào tí duì tā lái shuō jiù shì máo máo yǔ, shí fēn zhōng jiù zuò wán le.
    This problem was a piece of cake for him; he finished it in ten minutes.
  • ，毛毛雨，。
    Bié dān xīn, zhè diǎn sǔn shī shì máo máo yǔ, yǐng xiǎng bú dà.
    Don't worry, this loss is trivial — it won't have a big impact.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

毛毛fine like hair
毛máohair毛máohair
重叠Reduplication
雨yǔrain

“毛” (hair) is doubled to suggest fine drops, and “雨” means rain; together they describe drizzle.

Characters in this word

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

毛 is drawn as a feather or hair, with its strokes tracing the shape of the feather or hair.

Open 毛 →

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

毛 is drawn as a feather or hair, with its strokes tracing the shape of the feather or hair.

Open 毛 →

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

The shape 雨 is an old picture of a cloud with rain drops falling from it; the top line was added later.

Open 雨 →

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