添砖加瓦

添磚加瓦
tiānzhuān-jiāwǎ
idiom

Meanings

  1. 1 to contribute bricks and tiles
  2. 2 to do one's bit to help
  3. 3 to make a small but real contribution to a collective effort

Examples

HSK 2
Wǒmen xiǎoxiǎode nǔlì, yě shì zài tiānzhuān-jiāwǎ.
Our small efforts are also contributing our share.
HSK 3
Wǒ yuànyì wèi gōngsī de fāzhǎn tiānzhuān-jiāwǎ.
I'm willing to do my part for the company's development.
HSK 3
Měigè rén dōu zài wèi guójiā de jiànshè tiānzhuān-jiāwǎ.
Everyone is doing their bit for the country's development.

Tips

usage
Always paired with + [cause] to state what you're helping build: 为祖国建设为公司发展为项目添砖加瓦. Modest and humble in tone - the speaker acknowledges their contribution is small, just bricks and tiles on a big structure.
memory
Visualize a construction site. You can't build the whole house, but you can carry bricks () and lay tiles (). Every small contribution builds the wall bit by bit.

Stroke Order

tiān
zhuān
jiā