ə piːs əv keɪk
Food & Cooking
informal
beginner
- Literally:
- A single serving or slice of cake
What does "a piece of cake" mean?
- Something very easy to do
- A task that requires little effort
Examples
- The exam was a piece of cake—I finished in 20 minutes.
- For an experienced programmer, fixing that bug was a piece of cake.
- Don't worry about the interview; it'll be a piece of cake.
Origin
First appeared in American English in the 1930s. The connection between cake and ease likely comes from the pleasant, effortless experience of eating cake. Similar to 'easy as pie' which has the same meaning.
How to use it
Very common and informal. Used to describe tasks that are unexpectedly or notably easy. Appropriate in casual conversation.
Similar expressions
easy as pie
walk in the park
child's play
no sweat
Opposites
uphill battle
hard nut to crack
Related idioms
- piece of cake
Something very easy to do
- in a nutshell
In a very brief or concise form
- an apple a day keeps the doctor away
Eating fruit or having a healthy diet helps maintain good health
- bite off more than you can chew
To take on more responsibility or work than one can handle
- don't put all your eggs in one basket
Don't risk everything on a single opportunity
- not your cup of tea
Not something you enjoy or are interested in
Use it in a practice answer
Try "a piece of cake" in a CELPIP-style Speaking or Writing task. The AI feedback tells you whether your word choice worked.