a drop in the ocean; extremely insignificant
Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma
Meanings
1 sense · 5 examplesidiom
a drop in the ocean; extremely tiny and insignificant
literaryUsed to humbly describe one's own or someone's limited contribution, ability, or existence within a vast context. Emphasizes insignificance or minuteness compared to the whole.
Gè个
rén人
de的
lì力
liàng量
zài在
lì历
shǐ史
cháng长
hé河
zhōng中
，
bù不
guò过
shì是
cāng沧
hǎi海
yī一
sù粟
。
An individual's strength is but a drop in the ocean of history.
Wǒ我
men们
suǒ所
xué学
dào到
de的
zhī知
shì识
，
yǔ与
wèi未
zhī知
de的
shì世
jiè界
xiāng相
bǐ比
，
yóu犹
rú如
cāng沧
hǎi海
yī一
sù粟
。
The knowledge we have acquired is like a grain in the vast sea compared to the unknown world.
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Qún群
zhòng众
zhì智
huì慧
wú无
qióng穷
wú无
jìn尽
，
gè个
rén人
de的
cái才
néng能
zhǐ只
bù不
guò过
shì是
cāng沧
hǎi海
yī一
sù粟
。
The wisdom of the masses is boundless; an individual's talent is merely a drop in the ocean.
Gōng公
sī司
de的
zhè这
diǎn点
lì利
rùn润
zài在
páng庞
dà大
de的
shì市
chǎng场
zǒng总
é额
lǐ里
，
zhǐ只
néng能
suàn算
cāng沧
hǎi海
yī一
sù粟
。
The company's meager profits are just a drop in the ocean of the vast total market.
Zài在
hào浩
hàn瀚
de的
yǔ宇
zhòu宙
miàn面
qián前
，
dì地
qiú球
wén文
míng明
yě也
xiǎn显
dé得
rú如
tóng同
cāng沧
hǎi海
yī一
sù粟
。
In the face of the vast universe, Earth's civilization also seems like a mere grain of sand.