Illustration: Xia Qing/GT

Chinese idioms

little drops of water make the mighty ocean

积少成多

(jīshǎo chénɡduō)

A: How come you stopped eating snacks recently?

你怎么最近不吃零食了？

(nǐ zěnme zuìjìn bùchī línɡshí le?)

B: I want to save the money I spend on snacks to buy an electric guitar.

我想把买零食的钱攒起来,买一把电吉他。

(wǒ xiǎnɡbǎ mǎi línɡshí de qián zǎnqǐlái, mǎi yībǎ diànjítā.)

A: But snacks barely cost anything.

可零食能花多少钱啊？

(kě línɡshí nénɡ huā duōshǎoqián ā?)

B: I just need to save a bit everyday. As they say, "little drops of water make the mighty ocean." I'll be able to buy it soon enough.

每天一点点,积少成多,不久就能买啦。

(měitiān yīdiǎndiǎn, jīshǎo chénɡduō, bùjiǔ jiùnénɡ mǎi la.)