English–Chinese
“small effort” in Chinese
Chinese
Pronunciation
Pinyinjǔ shǒu zhī láo
Example
这件事对我来说是举手之劳。zhè jiàn shì duì wǒ lái shuō shì jú shǒu zhī láo
This is just a small effort for me.
How to say “small effort” in Chinese
“Small effort” in Chinese is 举手之劳 (jǔ shǒu zhī láo).
A helpful action that takes no more effort than lifting a hand.
Example sentences with 举手之劳
帮他把文件打印好，对我来说不过是举手之劳。bāng tā bǎ wén jiàn dǎ yìn hǎo duì wǒ lái shuō bú guò shì jú shǒu zhī láo
Printing the documents for him is nothing more than a small effort for me.
Tips for using 举手之劳
- After receiving thanks, a speaker can use this idiom to downplay personal credit, much like saying "It was nothing" in English; it fits casual replies better than highly formal ones.