Meaning
"A Piece of Cake"は英語の表現で、「とても簡単なこと」や「楽勝」を意味します。日常会話でよく使われるこのフレーズは、何かが非常に簡単で努力を要さないことを強調したいときに使われます。
例えば、難しいと思っていたテストが実際にはとても簡単だった場合、「The test was a piece of cake.（そのテストはとても簡単だった）」と言うことができます。この表現は、文字通りケーキの一切れを手に入れることが容易であることから、何かが簡単であることを示しています。
「A Piece of Cake」は、試験や仕事、日常的なタスクなど、さまざまな状況で使うことができます。誰かが予想以上に簡単に何かを達成したときに、この表現を使って驚きや感謝の気持ちを伝えることができます。
このように、「A Piece of Cake」は英語を学ぶ際に覚えておくと便利な表現です。
Example
The exam was a piece of cake.
This course is fun, but it’s not a piece of cake for everyone.
Similar phrases and uses
"Easy as pie", "like a cakewalk", "child’s play" all share the meaning of accomplishing something easily. You can substitute these phrases in place of "a piece of cake". Let’s have a look at the examples below.
Getting a drone pilot certificate was as easy as pie for her.
Winning the race was like a cakewalk for him.
If you practice enough, driving will become child’s play.
Quiz
What is an Idiom
An idiom is a phrase or expression that usually presents a figurative, non-literal meaning attached to the phrase. Idioms are not just used in conversations – they're also very common in literature, movies, and music. We utilize them to convey a message in a concise and effective manner, and often have deep cultural or historical significance. They help to create a vivid and memorable image in the minds of the audience.
Idioms are difficult because they do not mean what they literally state. Communication challenges emerge when you translate an idiom in your language; it will not make sense or if it does make sense you may miss the intended meaning.
How to Study Idioms
- Read them. Read books, newspapers, magazine articles, online articles for exposure in written material.
- Watch them. Watch TV shows and movies in English! There are so many streaming services available for you to choose from. Listen attentively and try to understand the context in which they are used.
- Use them. Talk to native speakers and try to incorporate common idioms into your conversations. Try using them during conversations with friends, family, coworkers, or through text.
- Practice. Practice. Practice. Remember that you can't learn all of them! So start with a few that you understand and build your library of idioms from there!
