每天成语
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举手之劳

*The explanations on this page are generated by AI. Please note that they may contain inaccurate information.

1. Basic Information

  • Pinyin: jǔ shǒu zhī láo
  • English Translation: The effort of lifting a hand (a small favor / no trouble at all)
  • Idiom Composition: 「举」（To lift or raise）＋「手」（Hand）＋「之」（A grammatical particle indicating possession or relation (similar to 'of')）＋「劳」（Labor, effort, or toil）
  • Meaning: Refers to a task that requires very little effort, as simple as lifting one's hand. It is commonly used as a modest way to downplay one's help to others or to describe a small, easy favor.

2. Detailed Meaning and Nuances

「举手之劳」 contains the following nuances:

  • Expression of Modesty: It is most commonly used as a set phrase to show humility when thanked, suggesting that the help provided was insignificant and required no real effort.
  • Emphasizing Ease and Politeness: Beyond just stating that a task is easy, it functions as a social lubricant to reduce the recipient's sense of indebtedness or to make a request seem less burdensome.

3. Usage

「举手之劳」 is mainly used in the following contexts:

  • Responding to thanks: The most common situation, used to tell someone that the help you provided was easy and they shouldn't feel indebted.
    • Example:「A: 谢谢你帮我搬行李。 B: 别客气，举手之劳而已。」
      （A: Thank you for helping me move my luggage. B: You're welcome, it was no trouble at all.)
  • Making a request: Used when asking for a favor to suggest that the task is simple for the other person, thereby reducing their psychological burden.
    • Example:「这对您来说只是举手之劳，但对我帮助很大。」
      （This might be a small favor for you, but it is a huge help to me.)
  • Social appeals: Used in slogans or public service contexts to encourage small, easy actions that benefit society or the environment.
    • Example:「垃圾分类只是举手之劳，却能保护环境。」
      （Sorting trash is just a small effort, yet it can protect the environment.)

Additional Examples:

  1. 帮邻居收个快递，不过是举手之劳。
    （Picking up a package for a neighbor is just a small favor.）
  2. 您能不能帮我签个字？这对您是举手之劳。
    （Could you sign this for me? I know it's no trouble at all for you.）
  3. 随手关灯是举手之劳，请大家养成好习惯。
    （Turning off the lights when leaving is a simple task; let's all make it a habit.）
  4. 虽然是举手之劳，但他一直记在心里。
    （Although it was just a minor help, he kept it in his heart forever.）
  5. 不用那么隆重地道谢，这真的是举手之劳。
    （There's no need for such a formal thank you; it really was nothing at all.）

4. Cultural Background and Notes

  • The phrase originates from the Tang Dynasty writer Han Yu (韩愈) in his work Letter to Someone While Taking the Imperial Examinations (应科目时与人书). He used the expression 'the effort of a single lift of the hand or a single step' to describe how easy it is for those in power to help the less fortunate.
  • In Chinese culture, the virtue of modesty is highly valued. Even if a task was actually difficult, using 举手之劳 (jǔ shǒu zhī láo) is a polite way to ensure the other person doesn't feel overly burdened by the favor.
  • While usually used for one's own actions, be careful when using it to describe others' actions. Telling someone 'this should be 举手之劳 (jǔ shǒu zhī láo) for you' can sometimes sound pushy or entitled, as if you are trivializing their effort.

5. Similar and Opposite Idioms

6. Summary

The idiom 举手之劳 (jǔ shǒu zhī láo) describes an action that is extremely easy to perform. It is most frequently used as a polite, modest response when someone thanks you for a favor, implying 'it was no trouble at all.' It can also be used when requesting a small favor to minimize the perceived burden or when encouraging simple public-spirited actions.

Idiom Essay

jǔ shǒu zhī láo
举手之劳
A Small Favor
shēng huó生活zhōng中，wǒ men我们jīng cháng经常huì会yù dào遇到zhè yàng这样de的shí kè时刻。

In life, we often encounter moments like this.

nǐ你suí shǒu随手bāng帮le了bié rén别人yí gè一个xiǎo小máng忙。

You help someone with a small favor in passing.

yě xǔ也许shì是zài在diàn tī电梯mén门kuài快guān shàng关上de的shí hòu时候，bāng máng帮忙àn按le了yī xià一下kāi mén开门jiàn键；yě xǔ也许shì是kàn dào看到tóng shì同事shǒu lǐ手里ná拿mǎn满le了dōng xī东西，shùn shǒu顺手bāng帮tā他kāi开le了yī xià一下mén门；huò zhě或者zhǐ shì只是bǎ把nǐ你zhī dào知道de的yí gè一个yǒu yòng有用xìn xī信息，zhuǎn fā转发gěi给le了zhèng hǎo正好xū yào需要de的péng yǒu朋友。

Maybe it is pressing the open button when the elevator door is about to close; maybe it is opening the door for a colleague whose hands are full; or perhaps just forwarding useful information to a friend who happens to need it.

duì fāng对方fēi cháng非常gǎn jī感激，zhèng zhòng郑重dì地xiàng向nǐ你dào xiè道谢。

The other person is very grateful and thanks you sincerely.

zhè shí hòu这时候，nǐ你kě néng可能huì会jué de觉得：“āi yā哎呀，zhè这zhēn de真的bù suàn不算shén me什么，bù yòng不用zhè me这么kè qì客气。”

At this moment, you might feel: "Oh, it really wasn't much, no need to be so polite."

zài在zhōng wén中文lǐ里，yǒu有yí gè一个fēi cháng非常dé tǐ得体、yě也fēi cháng非常wēn nuǎn温暖de的chéng yǔ成语，zhuān mén专门yòng lái用来huí yìng回应zhè zhǒng这种shí kè时刻，jiào叫“jǔ shǒu zhī láo举手之劳”。

In Chinese, there is a very appropriate and warm idiom specifically used to respond to such moments, called 举手之劳.

zhè ge这个cí词de的huà miàn gǎn画面感hěn很qiáng强。

This phrase has a strong sense of imagery.

“jǔ shǒu举手”，jiù shì就是tái qǐ抬起shǒu手；“láo劳”，shì是zhǐ指láo dòng劳动、fù chū付出。

举手 means raising one's hand; 劳 refers to labor or effort.

lián连zài在yì qǐ一起，tā它de的yì si意思shì是：zhè这jiàn件shì事duì wǒ lái shuō对我来说，jiù就xiàng像tái qǐ抬起shǒu手yī yàng一样jiǎn dān简单，jī hū几乎bù不xū yào需要huā花shén me什么lì qì力气。

Put together, it means: this matter is as simple as raising my hand, requiring almost no effort.

wǒ men我们zài在shén me shí hòu什么时候yòng用tā它ne呢？

When do we use it?

tōng cháng通常shì是zài在bié rén别人yīn wèi因为nǐ你de的bāng zhù帮助ér而gǎn dào感到bù hǎo yì sī不好意思，huò zhě或者xiǎng yào想要huí bào回报nǐ你de的shí hòu时候。

Usually when someone feels embarrassed by your help or wants to repay you.

zhè ge这个shí hòu时候shuō说yī jù一句“jǔ shǒu zhī láo举手之劳”，qí shí其实shì是yī zhǒng一种hěn很gāo jí高级de的xiū yǎng修养。

Saying 举手之劳 at this time is actually a sign of high character.

wèi shén me为什么zhè me这么shuō说ne呢？

Why is that?

yīn wèi因为suǒ yǒu所有de的bāng zhù帮助，qí shí其实dōu都bàn suí伴随zhe着yī zhǒng一种wú xíng无形de的yā lì压力。

Because all help actually carries an invisible pressure.

jiē shòu接受bāng zhù帮助de的rén人，wǎng wǎng往往huì会jué de觉得qiàn欠le了nǐ你yí gè一个rén qíng人情。

The person receiving help often feels they owe you a favor.

ér而dāng当nǐ你yòng用“jǔ shǒu zhī láo举手之劳”lái来xíng róng形容zì jǐ自己de的fù chū付出shí时，nǐ你qí shí其实shì是zài在wēn róu温柔dì地gào sù告诉duì fāng对方：“bú yào不要yǒu有fù dān负担，bù yòng不用xiǎng想zhe着zěn me怎么cháng huán偿还，yīn wèi因为zhè这duì wǒ lái shuō对我来说，zhēn de真的hěn很jiǎn dān简单。”

When you use 举手之劳 to describe your contribution, you are gently telling them: "Don't feel burdened, don't worry about how to repay me, because for me, it was truly simple."

tā它bǎ把yí gè一个kě néng可能xū yào需要“bào dá报答”de的ēn huì恩惠，suō xiǎo缩小chéng成le了yí gè一个wēi bù zú dào微不足道de的dòng zuò动作。

It shrinks a favor that might require "repayment" into an insignificant action.

zhè这bù jǐn不仅xiǎn shì显示le了nǐ你de的qiān xū谦虚，gèng更zhòng yào重要de的shì是，tā它zhào gù照顾le了duì fāng对方de的zì zūn xīn自尊心，ràng让zhè这duàn段guān xì关系biàn dé变得qīng sōng轻松。

This not only shows your humility but, more importantly, it protects the other person's self-esteem, making the relationship relaxed.

dāng rán当然，wǒ men我们yào要jì de记得，“jǔ shǒu zhī láo举手之劳”tōng cháng通常shì是yòng lái用来xíng róng形容zì jǐ自己zuò做de的dòng zuò动作。

Of course, we must remember that 举手之劳 is usually used to describe one's own actions.

wǒ men我们hěn很shǎo少zhǐ zhe指着bié rén别人shuō说：“zhè这duì对nǐ你lái来shuō说zhǐ shì只是jǔ shǒu zhī láo举手之劳，nǐ你jiù就bāng帮bāng帮wǒ我ba吧。”

We rarely point at others and say: "This is just 举手之劳 for you, so just help me."

nà yàng那样huì会xiǎn de显得hěn很bù不lǐ mào礼貌。

That would be very impolite.

suǒ yǐ所以，“jǔ shǒu zhī láo举手之劳”zhè ge这个cí词，hé xīn核心bù不zài yú在于shì qíng事情zhēn de真的yǒu有duō多róng yì容易。

Therefore, the core of the term 举手之劳 is not about how easy the task actually is.

ér而zài yú在于nà那fèn份yuàn yì愿意bǎ把shàn yì善意kàn看dé得qīng yíng轻盈、bù不gěi给bié rén别人tiān má fán添麻烦de的xīn yì心意。

It lies in the intention to view kindness lightly and not cause trouble for others.

xià cì下次，dāng当nǐ你bāng帮le了bié rén别人，ér而duì fāng对方bù tíng不停dào xiè道谢de的shí hòu时候，bù fáng不妨shì zhe试着shuō说yī jù一句：“méi guān xì没关系，jǔ shǒu zhī láo举手之劳ér yǐ而已。”

Next time you help someone and they keep thanking you, try saying: "It's okay, it was just 举手之劳."

'造句' Feature Usage Guide

造句练习📝

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