かるい

[軽い] ①［目方が］

〔軽量の〕

*light

【S】 軽い(⇔heavy)；比重の小さい；［叙述］ 量目不足の∥ Hydrogen is the lightest gas. 水素は一番軽い気体である / (as) light as a feather 羽のように軽い.

feathery

［ほめて］ 羽のような， 軽い.

ethereal

空気のような， きわめて軽い.

②［軽快な・容易な・軽率な］

〔簡単な， 楽な， 安易な， 優しい， 穏やかな〕

*light

【S】軽快な， 〔足取りが〕軽やかな〔on， of〕∥ walk with a light step 軽い足取りで歩く.

▲(as) agile as a kitten 子ネコのように身が軽い / have a loose tongue 口が軽い / brush aside ［away］ ［他］ …を軽くあしらう / make light work of O (物・事)を軽くやってのける.

③［程度］

〔ちょっと， 少し， 少々〕

*mild

【S】(規則・罰・病気などが)(程度の)軽い; まろやかな味の， (タバコが)軽い(⇔strong)∥ mild exercise 軽い運動 / mild tobaccos 軽いタバコ.

*light

［通例限定］(罰・仕事・病気・税・打撃などが)軽い， 厳しくない∥ I heard a light knock at the door. 戸を軽くノックする音が聞えた.

*slight

【S】 (量・程度が)わずかな， 少しの， 軽い， 弱い∥ a slight headache 軽い頭痛 / suffer from a slight illness 軽い病気にかかる / give it a slight press それを軽く押す.

*tender

(動きなどが)軽い， 静かな∥ a tender touch 軽く触れること.

**soft

力を込めない， 軽い∥ give it a soft touch それに軽く触れる.

▲give her hand a gentle squeeze 彼女の手を軽く握る / a lenient punishment 軽い罰 / serve refreshments at the party パーティーで軽い食事を出す / superficial burn 軽いやけど.

軽い
light
non-serious
minor

* * *

かるい【軽い】

①［目方が］

〔軽量の〕

*light

〖S〗 軽い(⇔heavy)；比重の小さい；［叙述］ 量目不足の

Hydrogen is the lightest gas. 水素は一番軽い気体である

(as) light as a feather 羽のように軽い.

feathery

［ほめて］ 羽のような， 軽い.

ethereal

空気のような， きわめて軽い.

②［軽快な・容易な・軽率な］

〔簡単な， 楽な， 安易な， 優しい， 穏やかな〕

*light

〖S〗軽快な， 〔足取りが〕軽やかな〔on， of〕

walk with a light step 軽い足取りで歩く.

▲(as) agile as a kitten 子ネコのように身が軽い

have a loose tongue 口が軽い

brush aside ［away］ ［他］ …を軽くあしらう

make light work of O (物・事)を軽くやってのける.

③［程度］

〔ちょっと， 少し， 少々〕

*mild

〖S〗(規則・罰・病気などが)(程度の)軽い; まろやかな味の， (タバコが)軽い(⇔strong)

mild exercise 軽い運動

mild tobaccos 軽いタバコ.

*light

［通例限定］(罰・仕事・病気・税・打撃などが)軽い， 厳しくない

I heard a light knock at the door. 戸を軽くノックする音が聞えた.

*slight

〖S〗 (量・程度が)わずかな， 少しの， 軽い， 弱い

a slight headache 軽い頭痛

suffer from a slight illness 軽い病気にかかる

give it a slight press それを軽く押す.

*tender

(動きなどが)軽い， 静かな

a tender touch 軽く触れること.

**soft

力を込めない， 軽い

give it a soft touch それに軽く触れる.

▲give her hand a gentle squeeze 彼女の手を軽く握る

a lenient punishment 軽い罰

serve refreshments at the party パーティーで軽い食事を出す

superficial burn 軽いやけど.

* * *

かるい【軽い】

1 〔目方が少ない〕 light; not heavy; having little weight.

●目方が軽い weigh little; be light (in weight)

・軽い荷物 a light load; light [little] baggage

・軽い夏服 light summer clothing [clothes]; a light summer suit

・軽くて丈夫なかばん a sturdy but light(weight) briefcase [bag, satchel, valise]

・軽そうに運ぶ carry without any [much] effort; carry sth as if 《it were》 light.

●羽根[綿毛]のように軽い. It is (as) light as a feather [(thistle)down].

・水素は空気より軽い. Hydrogen is lighter than air.

2 〔軽快だ〕 light; effortless; 〔軽薄だ〕 frivolous; 〔重量感がない〕 light 《food》.

●口が軽い 〔多弁である〕 be talkative; be glib-tongued; 〔口外すべきでないことをついしゃべる傾向がある〕 be unable to keep one's mouth shut [a secret]

・彼女はちょっと口が軽すぎる. Her tongue wags a bit too freely. | Her tongue is a bit too loose.

・尻の軽い女 a loose woman

・尻が軽くて職を転々とする若者 young people who are fickle [are capricious, easily become bored] and change jobs frequently [often]

・〔電算で〕 システムが軽い lightweight

・〔電算で〕 動作が軽い fast

・軽い身のこなし an easy carriage

・軽いフットワーク light footwork

・軽い足取りで歩く step lightly; walk with light steps

・軽いタッチで風景を描く draw [paint] a scene with a light touch.

●今朝は体が軽い. This morning I feel spry.

・あの選手は体の動きが軽い. That athlete moves his body lightly [has easy motions].

・この自転車はペダルが軽い. This bicycle pedals easily.

・油を差したら機械の動きが軽くなった. The machine ran more smoothly [with less effort] after it was oiled.

・あの投手が投げる球は軽い. That pitcher throws a light ball.

3 〔重大でない･軽微な〕 mild; slight; trivial; 〔容易な〕 light; easy; 〔気軽な〕 lighthearted.

●軽い症状 mild symptoms 《of food poisoning》

・軽い病気 a slight [mild] indisposition [illness]

・軽い頭痛 a slight [mild] headache

・軽い傷 a slight [light] wound

・軽い近視 mild [slight] nearsightedness

・軽い刑罰 a light punishment

・軽い冗談 a lighthearted joke

・軽い仕事 light [easy] work; a soft job

・軽い問題 a slight [trivial, small] problem

・責任が軽い 《a position in which》 responsibility is [responsibilities are] light.

●彼のけがは軽かった. He was but [only] slightly [lightly] wounded.

・私は軽いめまいを覚えた. I experienced slight dizziness.

・罪の重さから考えてその刑は軽すぎると思う. In view of the seriousness of the crime I think the punishment was too lenient [light].

・軽い気持ちでやれ. Do it with a light heart. | Be relaxed about it.

・軽い気持ちで言った言葉が彼を傷つけてしまった. What I said lightheartedly [with a light heart, without giving it too much thought] hurt him.

・〔走り高跳びで〕 彼なら 2 メートルなんて軽いでしょう. For him two meters should be easy.

4 〔ランクの低い〕 low; unimportant; humble.

●軽い身分である be of humble status; be low in social standing

・軽い地位 a low rank [position]; a low [humble] status; an unimportant position.

5 〔本格的でない･あっさりした〕 light.

●軽い読み物 light reading

・軽い味 a mild taste

・さらっと軽い感じの油 an oil that feels light and smooth

・ふんわり軽い口当たり a light, spongy sensation in the mouth

・軽い食事 a light meal [repast]; a snack

・軽い朝食をとる eat a light breakfast

・軽い運動をする take [do] light exercise.

●今度は何か軽いものが読みたい. I want to read something light this time.

軽く 1 〔力を入れないで･ちょっと〕 lightly.

●軽く肩をたたく tap sb on the shoulder

・軽くさわる touch lightly

・手を軽く握る hold sb's hand lightly; lightly hold sb's hand in one's own hand

・ご飯を両手で軽く握る lightly squeeze boiled rice into a ball with both hands

・〔野球で〕 軽く当てただけの球がヒットになった. He struck the ball only lightly but it went for a hit.

2 〔軽快に〕 lightly.

●足取りも軽く 《go home》 on wings; walking on clouds

・軽くはずむ歌声 a singing voice with a slight lilt.

3 〔簡単に･楽に〕 easily.

●軽く 2 連勝する win two games in a row easily [with ease, with little effort]; win two easy games in a row

・〔走り幅跳びで〕 彼は軽く 5 メートルは跳ぶ. He jumps five meters with ease.

・彼は軽く勝てる相手ではない. He is not an opponent who's easily beaten.

・相手の攻撃を軽くかわす easily brush aside an opponent's attack

・彼女は英語でのインタビューも軽くこなす. She easily manages even an interview in English.

4 〔重要視せず〕

●相手チームを軽く見る think little of [underestimate] an opposing team

・あのチームを軽く見てはいけない. You [We] mustn't underestimate that team.

・反対論を軽くあしらう treat a contrary argument lightly

・僕は部下に軽く見られている. My subordinates don't think much of me.

・風邪を軽く考えてはいけません. You mustn't think lightly of a cold.

・私の提案は軽く葬り去られた. My suggestion was brushed aside lightly [received short shrift].

・各紙ともその事件を軽く扱っている. Every newspaper is playing down the incident.

5 〔本格的でなく･ちょっと〕 lightly; lightheartedly.

●軽く会釈する nod slightly

・茶わんに軽く 2 杯の飯 two light helpings of rice in a normal-sized bowl

・軽く食事をする eat [have] a light meal

・帰りに軽く一杯, どうだい. What do you say we have a short one on the way home?

・私は部屋の掃除を軽くやってから買い物に出た. After lightly cleaning the room I went shopping.

・試合前日は軽く練習して早めに寝た. On the day before the game [match] I had a light workout and went to bed early.

・予防接種のおかげではしかが軽くすんだ. Thanks to my inoculation I only had a light case of measles.

・彼は彼女のおしゃべりを軽くたしなめた. He chided her lightly for her talkativeness.

軽くする

●台風に備えて船荷を軽くする lighten a ship's cargo in readiness for a typhoon

・低所得者層への税を軽くする lighten [reduce] the tax for those in the low-income category

・初心者のルール違反には罰を軽くする mitigate [lighten] the penalty for rule infractions by beginners

・情状酌量して刑を軽くする take circumstances into consideration and reduce a sentence

・夜は食事内容を軽くしたほうがいい. It's better to eat lighter food at a night meal.

・地震は防げないが, それによる被害を軽くすることはできる. We cannot avoid earthquakes, but we can lessen the damage they cause.

軽くなる

●減量したので体が軽くなった. Since I lost some weight I feel sprier.

・彼の回復を聞いて心がいくぶん軽くなった. When I learned of his recovery I felt somewhat relieved.

・正当防衛が認められれば罪は軽くなる. If (the claim of) self-defense is accepted, the criminality [crime] will be less serious.

・この薬を飲めば痛みは軽くなるでしょう. If you drink this medicine you'll lessen [reduce] the pain.

・昔に比べメガネはずいぶん軽くなった. Compared to what they used to be, eyeglasses are much lighter nowadays.

・これでいくらか肩の荷が軽くなった. This has lightened my burden somewhat.

・彼は酒を飲むと口が軽くなる. Drinking loosens his tongue.

・油をさしたらミシンの音が軽くなった. The sewing machine ran smoother after I oiled it.

軽さ

●今回の衝突事故で多数の死傷者が出たのは車両の軽さが原因である. The lightness of the train carriage is the reason for the large number of casualties in the latest collision.

・虐殺の跡を見て, 私はこの国の人の命の軽さを思った. Seeing the aftermath of (the) slaughter, I felt the casualness with which people of this country viewed human life.

・彼の口の軽さがこの騒動を招いたのだ. It was the looseness of his tongue that brought on this disturbance [riot, trouble].

・簡単に善悪の境を飛び越えてしまう最近の若者の軽さはいったい何なのか. Just how do we explain the casual attitude of today's youth, who so facilely cross the border between good and evil?