易(やさ)しい

やさしい
i-adjective
easy; kind, gentle
descriptive
See also: 優(やさ)しい (kind, gentle), 易(やさ)しい／優(やさ)しい (easy / kind (combined))
Conjugation
AffirmativeNegative
Present易(やさ)しい易(やさ)しくない
Past易(やさ)しかった易(やさ)しくなかった
て form易(やさ)しくて易(やさ)しくなくて
Adverbial易(やさ)しく—
Conditional ば易(やさ)しければ易(やさ)しくなければ
Conditional たら易(やさ)しかったら易(やさ)しくなかったら
1. easy, simple
Describes something that is not difficult. Written as 易(やさ)しい. Similar to 簡単(かんたん).
この問題(もんだい)は易(やさ)しいです。
This problem is easy.
Using the 'easy' meaning
易(やさ)しい日本語(にほんご)で書(か)いてあります。
It's written in easy Japanese.
もっと易(やさ)しい問題(もんだい)をください。
Please give me an easier problem.
この漢字(かんじ)は易(やさ)しいから、すぐに覚(おぼ)えられます。
This kanji is easy, so you can memorize it quickly.
この本(ほん)は易(やさ)しい言葉(ことば)で書(か)いてあるので、子供(こども)でも読(よ)める。とてもいい本(ほん)です。
This book is written in easy words, so even children can read it. It's a very good book.
2. kind, gentle
Describes a person who is kind-hearted, gentle, or tender. Written as 優(やさ)しい.
彼(かれ)は優(やさ)しい人(ひと)です。
He is a kind person.
Using the 'kind' meaning
彼女(かのじょ)は誰(だれ)にでも優(やさ)しい。
She is kind to everyone.
優(やさ)しい声(こえ)で話(はな)してください。
Please speak in a gentle voice.
先生(せんせい)は優(やさ)しくて、好(す)きです。
The teacher is kind, so I like them.
祖母(そぼ)は優(やさ)しい人(ひと)でした。いつも私(わたし)に美味(おい)しいものを作(つく)ってくれました。
My grandmother was a kind person. She always made delicious food for me.

やさしい has two distinct meanings depending on the kanji used.

Two meanings

1. 易(やさ)しい: easy, simple (opposite of 難(むずか)しい)
2. 優(やさ)しい: kind, gentle, tender (personality trait)

Usage

A regular i-adjective in both meanings. It works as a predicate (この問題(もんだい)は易(やさ)しい) and as a modifier directly before a noun (易(やさ)しい問題(もんだい)); no の or な comes between it and the noun.

The adverbial form やさしく is used mainly with meaning 2, for acting gently toward someone: 子供(こども)にやさしく話(はな)す (to speak gently to a child), やさしくする (to be kind to someone). With meaning 1 the adverbial is rare — 簡単(かんたん)に is used instead.

Meaning 2 takes に for the person treated kindly: 誰(だれ)にでも優(やさ)しい (kind to everyone).
When written in hiragana (やさしい), context determines the meaning.

FORMS (i-adjective):

  • Adverbial: やさしく
  • Negative: やさしくない
  • Past: やさしかった

Common patterns

CONTRAST (meaning 1):

Related Words

Antonym: 難(むずか)しい (difficult)
Synonym: 簡単(かんたん) (easy, simple (na-adjective))
Compare: ちょろい (easy, simple, a piece of cake)
basic
Added 2026.1.7 21:20 · Revised 2026.9.4 21:29
00500/00765_yasashii