safe choice; no-risk option; easily handled person
Idiomatic extension from mahjong: a person or option that poses no risk or is easy to deal with. Often used in business or social contexts.
See also: 安全牌
He discarded a safe tile and managed to get by.
That candidate is a safe choice. Nobody will oppose him.
He's an easily handled subordinate for his boss.
Mixed kanji-kana spelling; common in casual writing.
Katakana spelling; often used in mahjong contexts or for emphasis.
Abbreviation of 安全牌 (あんぜんパイ), literally 'safe tile', from mahjong terminology. The figurative sense developed from the idea of a risk-free discard.