問 1
Don't worry about the math test ━ it's going to be a （ ）.
- piece of cake
- real challenge
- hard work
- very difficult task
piece of cake
//piːs əv keɪk//簡単なこと・朝飯前
piece of cake = 朝飯前、楽勝。簡単なことの最頻出慣用句、2級の rewards に頻出。
「piece of cake」
正解「very difficult」
= とても難しい ━ 対義。
「a real challenge」
= 本当の挑戦 ━ 対義。
「hard work」
= 重労働 ━ 対義。
piece of cake は文字通り「ケーキの一切れ」から「(食べるのが) 簡単」の比喩。It's a piece of cake (楽勝)、The test was a piece of cake (試験は朝飯前だった)、Don't worry, it's a piece of cake (心配無用、簡単)。20世紀の口語表現、軍隊俗語起源説あり。super easy のカジュアル表現。
| パターン | 意味 | 例 |
|---|---|---|
| It's a piece of cake | 楽勝 | this exam is a piece of cake |
| a real piece of cake | 本当に簡単 | the test was a real piece of cake |
| absolute piece of cake | 完全に楽勝 | an absolute piece of cake |
| not a piece of cake | 簡単ではない | running a marathon is not a piece of cake |
| compared to ..., it's a piece of cake | 〜と比べたら楽勝 | compared to last year, this is a piece of cake |
| 語 | 品詞 | 訳 | 使い方 |
|---|---|---|---|
| easy | 形容詞 | 簡単な | an easy task |
| effortless | 形容詞 | 楽な | effortless win |
| a walk in the park | 慣用句 | 公園を歩くようなもの (類義) | the exam was a walk in the park |
| a breeze | 名詞 | そよ風 = 楽勝 | the project was a breeze |
- 試験
Math test was a piece of cake.
数学の試験は朝飯前。
- 仕事
This project is a piece of cake.
このプロジェクトは楽勝。
- 料理
Cooking pasta is a piece of cake.
パスタを作るのは簡単。
Don't worry about the math test ━ it's going to be a piece of cake.
数学の試験を心配しないで ━ 朝飯前だから。
Cooking pasta is a piece of cake once you know the basic technique.
パスタを作るのは基本的な技術を知れば朝飯前。
She finished the difficult project in one day ━ it was a piece of cake for her.
彼女は難しいプロジェクトを1日で終えた ━ 彼女には朝飯前だった。
Running a marathon is definitely not a piece of cake for most people.
マラソンを走るのはほとんどの人にとって決して朝飯前ではない。
After years of practice, this song is a piece of cake to play on the piano.
何年もの練習の後、この曲はピアノで弾くのが朝飯前。
piece of cake vs a walk in the park vs a breeze (2級頻出 楽勝慣用句) ━ ★ piece of cake = 朝飯前 (最頻出) ★ a walk in the park = 公園散歩 (類義) ★ a breeze = そよ風 (簡単、口語) ★ child's play = 子供の遊び (簡単、formal 寄り) ━ 楽勝系慣用句の四天王、本試験 reading カジュアル会話で超頻出。