Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 休息 | xiūxi |
| 放鬆 / 放松 | fàngsōng |
The phrase can be used in several ways depending on what you mean by 'take it easy'. Use 休息 when you are suggesting someone stop working or an activity to rest their body or mind. Use 放鬆 when you want someone to reduce tension, stress or muscle tightness. If you mean 'take it easy' in the sense of 'don't be nervous', it is more natural to use 別緊張. If you mean 'take it easy' to tell someone not to rush, use 慢慢來.
Which one should you use?
休息 focuses on physical or mental rest (stopping an activity), while 放鬆 focuses on an emotional or physical state (reducing tension or loosening up).
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Cantonese, you can use 慢啲 (maan6 di1) to mean 'Slow down' or 放鬆啲 (fong3 sung1 di1) to mean 'Relax a little.' In Taiwanese Mandarin, 放鬆一下 (fàngsōng yīxià) can be used to mean 'Take a break.'
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
Adding 一下 (yīxià) after 休息 makes the suggestion of taking a little rest sound more casual and less like a command.
How do you pronounce it?
xiūxi
Did you know?
- The character 休 in 休息 is composed of a person 人 leaning against a tree 木. This visually depicts the act of resting by stepping away from work to lean on nature.
- The concept of 'relaxing' via 放鬆 is often associated with the release of 氣 (qì) or vital energy, linking the phrase to practices like Tai Chi and Qigong.
- When telling someone to 'take it easy' in a high-stress situation, using 別緊張 (bié jǐnzhāng) is more effective because 緊張 refers to a state of being 'stretched tight' like a string.
Examples in context
- 你工作太勤奋了。休息一会吧。You're working too hard. Take it easy for a while.This sentence is useful for suggesting someone take a break from working too hard using 休息.Tatoeba #1862598 by sadhen, translation #1396422 by CK
- 約翰，你工作太辛苦了。坐下來休息一會兒。John, you're working too hard. Sit down and take it easy for a while.This sentence is useful for suggesting someone sit down and rest using 休息.Tatoeba #3149450 by cienias, translation #52502 by CN
Example conversation
A busy office after a long project.
- 佳怡 Jiayi志强，你太累了，去休息一下吧。Zhìqiáng, nǐ tài lèi le, qù xiūxi yīxià ba.Zhiqiang, you are too tired, go take it easy for a bit.
- 志强 Zhiqiang謝謝佳怡，我現在就去。Xièxiè Jiāyí, wǒ xiànzài jiù qù.Thanks Jiayi, I'm going now.
- 佳怡 Jiayi別再想工作了。Bié zài xiǎng gōngzuò le.Stop thinking about work.
- 志强 Zhiqiang好，我真的需要休息。Hǎo, wǒ zhēnde xūyào xiūxi.Okay, I really need to relax.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “take it easy” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
