非常容易，有很多英語比喻：It’s as easy as ABC / as falling off a log / as kiss your hand / like taking candy from a baby。
極容易 as easy as pie，相等於唾手可得 it is a piece of cake，非常容易做得到。As easy as winking 等於 very easy indeed，簡直易如反掌，誰都辦得到。
不費吹灰之力， 輕易贏得的勝利 easy triumphs，可以說 to waltz through / to romp through / to take it in your stride：you can win without putting yourself to any extra effort。同樣道理，an easy victory is a walk-over = something that is easy and presents no difficulties, especially an easily won sports contest。
Easy 放在前面的詞語：easy money 來得容易的錢；easy meat 容易上當的人；on easy street / in easy circumstances 一切順境，安定富足。Easy on the ear 指好聽的歌；easy on the eye 指賞心悅目的東西。
漢語成語，心平氣和（心境平和，不動感情）；平心靜氣（心境平靜，不感情用事），兩者稍有區別。前者重和，後者重靜，但有時可以相通。英語 Easy，「容易」之外，還有 relaxed, comfortable and not worried 安逸的，舒適的，安心的意思。Ease 的近義字有：leisure, comfort, relaxation, rest, repose，這組字都指舒適、平靜的狀態。
無論有什麼困難和障礙，不管發生什麼事，Take it easy! 別太緊張，別太勞累，休息一下。口頭語：I’m easy either way，我很隨便，你們怎麼決定都行。
佛教高僧說：一念放下，萬般自在。所謂「放下」的「解脫」，相近於 easy on yourself 和 take things easy 的生活態度。Go easy on somebody = to be lenient with somebody 寬厚地待人；對某人的懲罰或待遇，較他期望的或值得的更寬容，例如：You have to go easy on the child wrongdoer because he is only thirteen and it is his first offence。Go easy on something 少擁有或用少些你認為無益的東西：Go easy on salt. Don’t add extra sugar at your meals. 少鹽少糖，對你的健康更有益。
說時容易做時難 easier said than done = it is easier to talk about doing something than actually to accomplish it，說得輕巧，做起來才知道殊不簡單。
趨易避難，人之常情：We like to follow the line of least resistance and to choose the easiest way to do something 採取最省事的方法。但也有人說：困難只是通向成功之路的關卡。
當情況出現困難，things are getting difficult，或者 you are in a critical situation 處於危險關頭，你可以用 tricky 來形容，或者說 we’re on a sticky wicket。遇到麻煩，可以用 hit a snag，處於極之窘迫的境况，可以說 in dire straits。當某人的財務出現困難，when he is in financial embarrassment，可以說 he is in queer street；he falls on hard times；he is down on his luck。
當你擁有財富，you are on easy street, you have an abundance of wealth and comfort，你自然會生活得更舒泰。但法國大文豪 Victor Hugo 雨果說過：困苦貧乏是最良好的教育。
一件艱矩的工作和苦差 a difficult task，我們可以用 a tall order to perform 或 a hard nut to crack 去形容，其他說法還有：a close call 差點出事，幸免於難 a situation you only just manage to avoid; a near miss such as an accident 僥倖的脫險；a bitter pill to swallow 難以接受的事物 something that is difficult t accept；like pulling teeth = extremely difficult；例句：Parents getting their kids dressed and off to school in winter is like pulling teeth；大海撈針那麼困難：looking for a needle in a haystack。
你需要用盡方法去克服的困難 a very hard job is a tough row to hoe。You sweat blood = you have to work very hard。當困難被克服，逆境過去了 when the difficulties are over，從此順風順水，it’s all plain sailing from now on。
消除困難 remove difficulties，解決問題 solve problems，比較 smooth something out 更流行的說法是 to iron it out，就像把衣物的皺褶熨平一樣。You smooth out an obstacle, a snag, and a situation. You iron out a problem, differences of opinion, and misunderstandings. There are no difficulties that cannot be ironed out if both parties are determined to reach an agreement.
本專欄逢周二、五刊登
