many light things break an axle; small evils cause great harm
Meanings
1 sense · 4 examplesidiom
many light things accumulating can break a cart axle; metaphorically, small bad things allowed to develop can cause serious consequences
literaryClassical idiom originating from 'Strategies of the Warring States' (战国策·魏策一): '臣闻积羽沉舟，群轻折轴，众口铄金' (I have heard that accumulated feathers sink a boat, many light things break an axle, and many mouths melt gold). Often used in formal or literary contexts to warn about the accumulation of small problems.
As the ancient saying goes, many light things break the axle—small negligence can also lead to the failure of the entire project.
These seemingly insignificant small mistakes, if not corrected in time, can accumulate to cause great disasters.
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Many light things break the axle, and many mouths melt gold—we cannot ignore the power of public opinion.
He warned his subordinates that they must guard against small problems to prevent big troubles, being vigilant against the accumulation of small evils.