俚语学习11：a piece of cake小事一桩小菜一碟易如反掌

a piece of cake小事一桩小菜一碟易如反掌

cake当它指的是蛋糕、牛奶、点心等物品的时候是不可数名词，因此没有复数，其中的一块可用a piece of cake来表示，一些为some cake；但是当指蛋糕是一块块小蛋糕或种类的时候，它就是可数名词，some cakes（一些快蛋糕、一些种类蛋糕），另外 chocolate，ice ，cream也是如此。

a piece of cake字面意思是：一块蛋糕；在西方饮食文化里，像蛋糕这样的甜点是必不可少的而常见的，因此就形成了俚语通常用来形容一项任务、工作或活动非常简单就像吃一块蛋糕一样容易，所以可译为：小事一桩小菜一碟易如反掌举手之劳：

For him, the work is a piece of cake.

对他来说，这点活儿就是小菜一碟。

Getting rid of him will be a piece of cake.

摆脱掉他就是小事一桩。《柯林斯高阶英汉双解学习词典》

Don't think this job a piece of cake. You'll have to rack your brains once you start on it.

别以为这工作是易如反掌的事，你做了就知道它是很伤脑筋的。《汉英大词典》

The English test yesterday is a piece of cake.

昨天的英语考试就是小菜一碟。

The exam was a piece of cake. 这次考试真是小菜一碟。

Girls were a piece of cake. It was the boy.

女儿还好对付，让我头疼的是儿子。

Believe me, with your dance background, it'll be a piece of cake.

相信我，以你的舞蹈背景，这是小菜一碟。

注意下列与蛋糕有关用法：

1.have your cake and eat it

have your cake and eat it too

（不切实际地希望）两全其美；鱼与熊掌兼得

What he wants is a switch to a market economy in a way which does not reduce people's standard of living. To many this sounds like wanting to have his cake and eat it.

他想要转型为市场经济,同时又不降低人们的生活水平。在许多人看来,这是想要鱼与熊掌兼得。

2. sell/go like hot cakes非常畅销，抢手，热销

Books on the Royal Family are selling like hot cakes.

有关皇室的书卖得正火。

Her latest record is selling like hot cakes.

她的最新唱片非常畅销。

The electrical goods are selling like hot cakes.

这种电子产品很抢手。

3. take the cake, (愚蠢、无礼、自私的行为）非常过分，极其讨厌，糟糕

As far as vacuous teen flicks go, this one takes the cake.

这部电影在内容空洞的青春片当中算是最糟糕的了。

4. the icing on the cake

the frosting on the cake

锦上添花

I was just content to see my daughter in such a stable relationship but a grandchild, that really was the icing on the cake.

看到女儿与女婿的关系很稳定我已感到满足，后来又添了外孙，这可真是锦上添花。

5. be (as) flat as a pancake非常平坦

The land in that area is as flat as a pancake.

那个地区地势非常平坦。

6. a slice/share of the cake应分得的一份钱财（或好处）；共享、拿到一份好处、获得一份利益；；分一杯羹

Everyone expects to get a slice of the cake/pie(美语习惯).

每个人都想分一杯羹。

I want a slice of grief pie!

人家也想分一杯羹嘛！《破产姐妹》

People see others getting pay raises and they want a slice of the pie. 人们看到别人加薪，就想分一杯羹。

The company makes huge profits and the workers want a slice of the cake.这家公司利润丰厚，工人们都想分一杯羹。

Holiday spots have seen a dramatic revival and tourist chiefs are competing for a slice of the action.

各个度假点重又呈现出一派兴旺景象，旅游业的龙头老大们都在争着分一杯羹。

get / have a morsel of sth 就可以表示“从…中分一杯羹”。例句：

They'll try any trick to steal a morsel. 他们想尽办法，试图分一杯羹。

share the profits / wealth分一杯羹

Now that the company is earning billions in profits, workers say they should share the wealth. 如今这家公司已赚的盆满钵满，工人们觉得自己也应该从中分一杯羹。