Explore 易 in words about ease and trade. Learn each reading with the whole word and its context.
The idea
易 has 8 strokes; follow the linked diagram. 容易（ようい） means easy, while 貿易（ぼうえき） means trade. The suffix 易い（やすい） attaches to a verb stem to mean easy to do.
Examples
- この問題は容易ではありません。This problem is not easy.
- 計画を変えるのは容易です。It is easy to change the plan.
- その説明は分かり易いです。That explanation is easy to understand.
- 日本は多くの国と貿易をしています。Japan trades with many countries.
- 貿易の仕事に興味があります。I am interested in working in trade.
- この道は歩き易いです。This path is easy to walk on.
Read-aloud uses a synthetic Japanese voice available on your device. Voice quality and availability vary; it does not assess your pronunciation.
No Japanese device voice is available. You can still read the text and use the linked listening resources.
Watch out
Do not assume 易 always means easy: 貿易 refers to trade. The suffix is also commonly written in kana, as in 分かりやすい.
Try it yourself
Write the reading of 容易 in hiragana.
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ようい
容易 is ようい: it describes something easy, as in a plan that is easy to change.
Write the reading of 貿易 in hiragana.
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ぼうえき
貿易 is ぼうえき: it means trade, as in trade between countries.
Choose the missing kanji: 容＿（ようい）［易／日］.
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易
易 completes 容易（ようい）, meaning easy; 日 alone does not form this word.
Practice round
Answer questions, then rebuild Japanese sentences where available. We keep your score.
Write the reading of 容易 in hiragana.
Write the reading of 貿易 in hiragana.
Choose the missing kanji: 容＿（ようい）［易／日］.
Tap the words in the right order.
Tap the words in the right order.
Tap the words in the right order.
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Write 易 using the stroke diagram. Read 容易 and 貿易 aloud, then make a sentence with one of them.