易 yì — (surname); change; easy; simple
这道题很容易。Zhè dào tí hěn róng yì.This problem is very easy.
Common words: 容易 (róng yì)、交易 (jiāo yì)、轻易 (qīng yì)
Meaning Index
Chinese characters meaning "simple"
Learn Chinese characters with the meaning "simple", including 易 (yì), 简 (jiǎn), 纯 (chún), 朴 (pǔ / pò). Study pinyin, English meanings, traditional forms…
How to Study This Meaning Group
The English word "simple" covers 4 different Chinese characters — 易 (yì), 简 (jiǎn), 纯 (chún), 朴 (pǔ / pò) — and each is its own word with its own feel. These 4 characters do not share a sound — their readings span yì, jiǎn, chún, pǔ, pò — so confirm the pinyin and tone for each one separately. The example sentences further down show how 易 and the others are actually used, so you learn them in context rather than as a single translation.
- 易 yì(surname); change; easy; simpleUseful words: 容易, 交易
- 简 jiǎnsimpleUseful words: 简单, 简直
- 纯 chúnpure; simple; unmixed; genuineUseful words: 单纯, 纯净水
- 朴 pǔ / pòCeltis sinensis var. japonica; Pak or Park (Korean surname); plain and simpleUseful words: 朴素, 朴实
Common words for these 4 "simple" characters
Anchor each of these 4 characters in a word you can picture — start with 易 (yì) — so "simple" turns into concrete usage instead of a one-to-one translation.
容易róng yìeasy; straightforward; likely; liable to交易jiāo yìto deal; to trade; to transact; transaction轻易qīng yìeasy; simple; rashly; offhandedly简单jiǎn dānsimple; not complicated简直jiǎn zhísimply; really简历jiǎn lìcurriculum vitae (CV); résumé; biographical notes单纯dān chúnsimple; pure; unsophisticated; merely纯净水chún jìng shuǐpurified water纯粹chún cuìpure; unadulterated; purely; completely朴素pǔ sùplain and simple; unadorned; simple living; not frivolous
See each character in a sentence
Each character below is shown in a short example sentence with pinyin and an English translation — the quickest way to feel the difference between the 4 ways to say "simple".
简 jiǎn — simple
这个方法既简单又有效。Zhè ge fāng fǎ jì jiǎn dān yòu yǒu xiào.This method is both simple and effective.
Common words: 简单 (jiǎn dān)、简直 (jiǎn zhí)、简历 (jiǎn lì)
纯 chún — pure; simple; unmixed; genuine
这块布料是纯棉做的。Zhè kuài bù liào shì chún mián zuò de.This fabric is made of pure cotton.
Common words: 单纯 (dān chún)、纯净水 (chún jìng shuǐ)、纯粹 (chún cuì)
朴 pǔ / pò — Celtis sinensis var. japonica; Pak or Park (Korean surname); plain and simple
他穿着十分朴素，从不讲究。Tā chuān zhe shí fēn pǔ sù, cóng bù jiǎng jiu.He dresses very plainly and is never fussy.
Common words: 朴素 (pǔ sù)、朴实 (pǔ shí)、质朴 (zhì pǔ)
All 4 characters
Open 易、简、纯 or any character below to hear it read aloud and see it used in an example sentence.