掉以轻心

掉以輕心

diàoyǐqīngxīn

idiom #22,759

Meanings

1 to treat lightly
2 to lower one's guard
3 to take something lightly

Characters

to drop / to lower

Examples

对于安全问题，我们不能掉以轻心。

Duìyú ānquán wèntí, wǒmen bù néng diàoyǐqīngxīn.

We cannot take safety issues lightly.

即使领先也不要掉以轻心。

Jíshǐ lǐngxiān yě bù yào diàoyǐqīngxīn.

Even when ahead, don't let your guard down.

他掉以轻心，结果错失了良机。

Tā diàoyǐqīngxīn, jiéguǒ cuòshī le liángjī.

He took it too lightly and ended up missing a great opportunity.

Tips

usage

Almost always used in the negative (不能掉以轻心, 不要掉以轻心) as a warning not to be careless. Rarely used to describe actually being careless — for that, 大意 or 粗心 are more natural.

Stroke Order

掉 diào

以 yǐ

轻 qīng

心 xīn