轻松

• Pinyin: qīng sōng
• Hanzi breakdown: 轻 = 车 (vehicle) + 巠 (phonetic) — light in weight; 松 = 木 (wood/tree) + 公 (public, phonetic) — the pine tree, extended to mean loose and relaxed

Meaning

Relaxed; easy; effortless. Describes a state of being free from pressure, or a task that requires little effort.

Has two main senses: (1) a relaxed, carefree feeling (心情轻松, feeling relaxed), and (2) something that is easy or effortless (轻松的工作, easy work; 轻松地完成, completed effortlessly). Commonly used as both a predicate adjective and an adverbial modifier. The opposite is 紧张 (tense) or 沉重 (heavy).

Examples

1. 考完试以后，他觉得特别轻松。 After finishing the exam, he felt especially relaxed.
2. 周末的时候我喜欢看电影来放松一下，让自己轻松一点。 At the weekend I like watching films to unwind and feel more relaxed.
3. 这个问题对他来说很轻松，一分钟就解决了。 This problem was very easy for him — he solved it in one minute.

Usage Guide

Context: work, study, everyday

Tone: positive

Do Say

• 你别太紧张，轻松一点。(Don't be so tense; relax a bit.)
• 今天的工作很轻松，四点就完成了。(Today's work was easy — I finished by four o'clock.)

Don't Say

• 我轻松了那个问题 (Don't use 轻松 as a transitive verb with an object — say 我轻松地解决了那个问题 instead)

Origin & History

A compound of 轻 (light in weight) and 松 (loose, relaxed), together meaning 'light and loose' — free from heaviness or tension.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal