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易如反掌. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word
易如反掌, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say
易如反掌 in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word
易如反掌 you have here. The definition of the word
易如反掌 will help you to be more precise and correct when speaking or writing your texts. Knowing the definition of
易如反掌, as well as those of other words, enriches your vocabulary and provides you with more and better linguistic resources.
Chinese
|
|
change; easy; simple
|
as (if); such as
|
to turn over one's palm; to be very easy to accomplish
|
| trad. (易如反掌)
|
易
|
如
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反掌
|
| simp. #(易如反掌)
|
易
|
如
|
反掌
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| Literally: “as easy as turning one's hand over”.
|
Etymology
From Mencius:
以齊王，由反手也。
以齐王，由反手也。 - From: Mencius, c. 4th century BCE, translated based on James Legge's version
- Yǐ Qí wàng, yóu fǎn shǒu yě.
- To raise Qi to the royal dignity would be as easy as it is to turn round the hand.
The four-character form first attested in c. 154 BCE, in Mei Cheng (or Mei Sheng)'s letter to Liu Bi, dissuading him from revolt:
必若所欲為，危於累卵，難於上天；變所欲為，易於反掌，安於泰山。
必若所欲为，危于累卵，难于上天；变所欲为，易于反掌，安于泰山。 - From: c. 154 BCE, 枚乘,《上書諫吳王》, translated by Stephen Owen
- Bì ruò suǒ yù wéi, wēi yú lěiluǎn, nán yú shàngtiān; biàn suǒ yù wéi, yì yú fǎnzhǎng, ān yú Tàishān.
- If you must act as you wish, it will be:
more precarious than a pile of eggs,
harder than climbing to Heaven.
If you change what you wish, it will be:
easier than turning over the hand,
more secure than Tai Mountain.
Pronunciation
| Rime
|
| Character
|
易
|
如
|
反
|
掌
|
| Reading #
|
1/2
|
1/2
|
2/2
|
1/1
|
| Initial (聲)
|
以 (36)
|
日 (38)
|
幫 (1)
|
章 (23)
|
| Final (韻)
|
支 (11)
|
魚 (22)
|
元 (66)
|
陽 (105)
|
| Tone (調)
|
Departing (H)
|
Level (Ø)
|
Rising (X)
|
Rising (X)
|
| Openness (開合)
|
Open
|
Open
|
Closed
|
Open
|
| Division (等)
|
III
|
III
|
III
|
III
|
| Fanqie
|
以豉切
|
人諸切
|
府遠切
|
諸兩切
|
| Baxter
|
yeH
|
nyo
|
pjonX
|
tsyangX
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| Reconstructions
|
Zhengzhang
Shangfang
|
/jiᴇH/
|
/ȵɨʌ/
|
/pʉɐnX/
|
/t͡ɕɨɐŋX/
|
Pan
Wuyun
|
/jiɛH/
|
/ȵiɔ/
|
/pʷiɐnX/
|
/t͡ɕiɐŋX/
|
Shao
Rongfen
|
/jɛH/
|
/ȵʑiɔ/
|
/piuɐnX/
|
/t͡ɕiɑŋX/
|
Edwin
Pulleyblank
|
/jiə̆H/
|
/ȵɨə̆/
|
/puanX/
|
/cɨaŋX/
|
Li
Rong
|
/ieH/
|
/ȵiɔ/
|
/piuɐnX/
|
/t͡ɕiaŋX/
|
Wang
Li
|
/jǐeH/
|
/ȵʑĭo/
|
/pĭwɐnX/
|
/t͡ɕĭaŋX/
|
Bernhard
Karlgren
|
/ie̯H/
|
/ȵʑi̯wo/
|
/pi̯wɐnX/
|
/t͡ɕi̯aŋX/
|
Expected
Mandarin
Reflex
|
yì
|
rú
|
fǎn
|
zhǎng
|
Expected
Cantonese
Reflex
|
ji6
|
jyu4
|
faan2
|
zoeng2
|
| Baxter–Sagart system 1.1 (2014)
|
| Character
|
易
|
如
|
反
|
掌
|
| Reading #
|
1/2
|
2/2
|
2/2
|
1/1
|
Modern
Beijing
(Pinyin)
|
yì
|
rú
|
fǎn
|
zhǎng
|
Middle
Chinese
|
‹ yeH ›
|
‹ nyo ›
|
‹ pjonX ›
|
‹ tsyangX ›
|
Old
Chinese
|
/*lek-s/
|
/*na/
|
/*Cə.panʔ/
|
/*aŋʔ/
|
| English
|
easy
|
as, like, if
|
reverse (v.)
|
palm of the hand
|
Notes for Old Chinese notations in the Baxter–Sagart system:
* Parentheses "()" indicate uncertain presence;
* Square brackets "" indicate uncertain identity, e.g. * as coda may in fact be *-t or *-p;
* Angle brackets "<>" indicate infix;
* Hyphen "-" indicates morpheme boundary;
* Period "." indicates syllable boundary.
|
| Zhengzhang system (2003)
|
| Character
|
易
|
如
|
反
|
掌
|
| Reading #
|
1/2
|
1/2
|
1/2
|
1/1
|
| No.
|
15029
|
9623
|
2968
|
11146
|
Phonetic
component
|
易
|
女
|
反
|
尚
|
Rime
group
|
賜
|
魚
|
元
|
陽
|
Rime
subdivision
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
Corresponding
MC rime
|
易
|
如
|
反
|
掌
|
Old
Chinese
|
/*leːɡs/
|
/*nja/
|
/*panʔ/
|
/*tjaŋʔ/
|
Idiom
易如反掌
- easy as ABC; simple as kiss your hand
Synonyms
Antonyms
See also
- 小菜一碟 (xiǎocàiyīdié)
- (Cantonese) 碎料