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    Chinese Grammar

    Expressing "prone to" or "easily" with 易 (yì)

    Condition
    Frequency & Habit

    Structure

    Subject + 易 + Verb

    Explanation

    易 (yì) is an adjective meaning "easy" or "prone to." When placed before a verb, it indicates that something is likely to happen or susceptible to a certain condition. It is more literary than 容易 and is common in formal writing, as in 易发生 (prone to occur).

    Examples

    • 玻璃制品易碎，搬运时要小心。

      Bōli zhìpǐn yì suì, bānyùn shí yào xiǎoxīn.

      Glassware is fragile, so be careful when handling it.

    • 这种材料易燃，不能放在火源附近。

      Zhè zhǒng cáiliào yì rán, bù néng fàng zài huǒyuán fùjìn.

      This material is flammable and must not be placed near a fire source.

    • 高温天气下食物易变质，要放进冰箱。

      Gāowēn tiānqì xià shíwù yì biànzhì, yào fàng jìn bīngxiāng.

      Food spoils easily in hot weather and should be put in the refrigerator.

    Expressing "prone to" or "easily" with 易 (yì) | Chinese Grammar