等闲视之 take lightly
Explanation
指对某事不重视，认为是平常的事情。
To not take something seriously; to consider it ordinary.
Origin Story
话说唐朝时期，一位名叫李白的诗人，他年轻时才华横溢，但生活散漫，不拘小节。一次，他听说远方一位高僧闭关修炼，据说拥有神奇法力，能点石成金，李白对此嗤之以鼻，认为这不过是江湖骗子的把戏，等闲视之。然而，数年后，李白落魄失意，四处漂泊。恰逢他路过那座寺庙，想起当年高僧的事迹，不由心生好奇，决定去拜访一下。他到达寺庙时，发现高僧早已圆寂，庙中弟子告诉他，高僧并未点石成金，但他一生勤奋修行，以慈悲为怀，在当地颇有口碑。李白这才明白自己当年是等闲视之，错过了了解一位真正有德行的人的机会，心中甚感后悔。
In ancient China, there was a talented scholar named Li Bai. He was known for his intelligence and creativity, yet he was also known for his arrogance and disregard for others. One day, he heard of a wise old man living in seclusion who possessed extraordinary abilities. Li Bai dismissed the rumors, believing such claims to be mere superstition. However, years later, after many hardships, Li Bai traveled to seek out the wise man. Upon arriving at the secluded mountain, he learned that the wise man had already passed away. The villagers recounted tales of the wise man's compassion and wisdom, and Li Bai realized his past arrogance and the valuable opportunity he had missed. This experience led him to value humility and perspective.
Usage
常用于否定句中，表示不重视。
Often used in negative sentences to express a lack of seriousness or importance.
Examples
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他认为这次的考试很简单，等闲视之，结果考试失利。
tarenwei zheci de kaoshi henjiandan, dengxian shizhi, jieguo kaoshi shili
He thought the exam was simple and took it lightly, resulting in failure.
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对于这种小事，我们不应该等闲视之。
duiyu zhezhong xiaoshi, women buyinggai dengxian shizhi
We shouldn't take such trivial matters lightly.