易如反掌 as easy as turning over one's hand
Explanation
比喻事情非常容易做。
It means that something is very easy to do.
Origin Story
战国时期,孟子游说各国诸侯,希望他们施行仁政。他的学生公孙丑问他去齐国能否像管仲、晏婴那样有所作为。孟子说,齐国地广人多,如果齐王施行仁政,统一天下就如同翻转手掌一样容易。 这个故事发生在战国时期,那是一个诸侯割据,战乱不断的时代。孟子主张施行“仁政”,也就是以仁义为本,爱护百姓,从而争取天下。而齐国,是当时七国中实力比较强的一个国家,如果齐王能够采纳孟子的建议,那么统一天下并非不可能的事情。 孟子用“易如反掌”来比喻齐王统一天下的容易程度,并非是说这件本来就简单,而是强调仁政的巨大威力。如果齐王能够施行仁政,得到民心,那么天下自然就会归顺于他,这就像翻转手掌那样容易。 “易如反掌”这个成语,也由此而来,用来形容事情容易做到。
During the Warring States period, Mencius traveled to various states, hoping to persuade the feudal lords to implement benevolent governance. His student Gongsun Chou asked him if he could achieve the same success in Qi as Guan Zhong and Yan Ying. Mencius replied that Qi was large and populous, and if the king of Qi implemented benevolent governance, unifying the country would be as easy as turning over the palm of one's hand.
Usage
用以形容事情容易做。
Used to describe that something is easy to do.
Examples
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对于他来说,完成这个项目易如反掌。
duì yú tā lái shuō, wánchéng zhège xiàngmù yì rú fǎn zhǎng
For him, completing this project was a piece of cake.
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这么简单的题目,对他来说易如反掌
zhème jiǎndān de tímù, duì tā lái shuō yì rú fǎn zhǎng
Such a simple question, for him it is as easy as turning over the palm of the hand