やさしい・易しいyasashii[0]heiban (flat)

1. i-adjectiveeasy; plain; simple
   この仕事しごとは決けっしてやさしくない。↗

   This work is by no means easy.

• SynonymやすいCasualOn its own it sounds dated; today it mainly works as the suffix 「〜やすい」, meaning easy to do or apt to happen, as in 「読みやすい」.
• Synonym簡単かんたんNeutralThe most versatile word for simple and easy; 「易しい」 specifically stresses content being plain and not hard to follow.
• Synonym簡易かんいWrittenWritten-style word for simplified, no-frills setups; mostly a modifier like 「簡易ベッド」, stressing simplified facilities or procedures.
• SynonymたやすいWrittenMeans effortless, as in 「たやすく手に入る」, with the nuance of getting something without lifting a finger.
• Synonym平易へいいWrittenDescribes writing or explanations that are plain and easy to follow, as in 「平易な言葉」; more written in tone than 「易しい」.
• Synonym容易よういWrittenWritten-style word for something easily done, as in 「容易に想像できる」.
• SynonymイージーCasualCasual loanword for easy and relaxed, but also for careless slips like 「イージーミス」.
• Synonym平明へいめいWrittenFor prose that is clear and easy to read, stressing clarity of expression, as in 「平明な文体」; leans written.
• Synonym安易あんいNeutralNegative word for careless, simplistic thinking, as in 「安易な考え」; not used to call a question easy.
• Synonym簡便かんべんWrittenWritten word for simple and convenient, as in 「簡便な方法」; the emphasis is on convenience.
• Synonym生易しいなまやさしいCasualUsually with a negative, 「生易しいものではない」, stressing that something is by no means easy.
• Synonym軽易けいいWrittenRare written word for light and effortless; in everyday speech say 「簡単」 instead.
• RelatedシンプルNeutralLoanword for clean, uncluttered design or style; it does not mean a question or task is easy.
• Related手軽てがるNeutralHandy and hassle-free, as in 「手軽な料理」; stresses saving time and effort.
• Related安直あんちょくCasualDerogatory for going with what is too simple and easy, a slapdash choice, as in 「安直な発想」.
• Related単純たんじゅんNeutralSimple in structure or simple-minded, as in 「単純な作業」; does not mean content is easy to grasp.
• RelatedたわいないCasualMeans trivial or childish, or losing all too easily, as in 「他愛なく負ける」.
• RelatedわかりやすいNeutralEasy to understand, as in 「分かりやすい説明」; about comprehension, not about a task being easy to do.
• Related造作ないぞうさないWrittenTakes no trouble, as in 「造作ない仕事」; has an old-fashioned ring, so say 「簡単」 in daily speech.
• RelatedたわいもないCasualSilly, trivial, childishly amusing, as in 「他愛もない話」; little to do with difficulty.
• RelatedわけないCasualColloquial for a piece of cake, as in 「訳無くできる」; can also mean impossible, out of the question.
• Relatedお安いおやすいCasualMostly in 「お安い御用」, a set phrase meaning it's no trouble at all, happy to help.
• RelatedちょろいCasualSlang for dead easy or an easy mark, often with a dismissive tone toward the other person.
• Antonym難しいむずかしいNeutralThe direct opposite of 「易しい」: hard questions or hard-to-grasp content, as in 「難しい問題」.
• Antonym困難こんなんWrittenThe written-style opposite of 「易しい」, for things hard to carry out or achieve.

Default to 「易しい」 for content that is plain and not hard to follow. For simple in general use 「簡単」, for easy to understand 「分かりやすい」, for plain writing 「平易」, for hassle-free 「手軽」, and for careless or simplistic 「安易」; 「難しい」 covers difficult. The rest are narrower: 「易い」 survives mainly as the suffix 「〜やすい」, 「シンプル」 is about clean design, 「単純」 about simple structure, 「簡易」「簡便」「容易」「平明」「容易い」 are written-style, and 「ちょろい」「お安い」「訳無い」「イージー」 are casual.

Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only

1. 行おこなうことにさほどの労力ろうりょくを使つかわなくてもよい。