Japanese word

やさしい

Pronunciation

Romajiyasashii

Meaning

  • i-adjectiveeasy

Example

このテストはやさしいです。ko no te su to wa ya sa shi i de su

This test is easy.

Illustration for やさしい (easy)

More examples

この本は、短い文が多くてやさしいです。ko no hon wa mijika i bun ga ō ku te ya sa shi i de su

This book is easy because it has many short sentences.

Core concept

Describes a quality that is undemanding and considerate rather than harsh, whether a task is easy or a person is kind and gentle.

Common phrases

  • やさしい言葉ya sa shi i koto ba

    simple words

  • やさしい文ya sa shi i bun

    simple sentence

Similar words

たやすいtayasui: Describes a task or problem that can be handled with little effort, often in formal writing.

Definition in Japanese

理解や実行に必要な力や手間が少なく、難しくない。ri kai ya jik kō ni hitsu yō na chikara ya te ma ga suku na ku muzuka shi ku na i

Word origin

やさしい (yasashii) is a native Japanese adjective, not a later loanword; the spellings 易しい (yasashī, "easy") and 優しい (yasashii, "kind") are kanji choices that separate its main meanings.

Usage tips

  • A learner who hears やさしい (yasashii) must use the situation to decide whether it means easy or kind, since spoken Japanese does not reveal the kanji distinction.

Other meanings

  • kindi-adjective
  • gentlei-adjective

Opposites

Related words

  • やさしさyasashisakindnessnoun

Word lists with this word