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 3
Wǒ yuànyì wèi gōngsī de fāzhǎn tiānzhuān-jiāwǎ.
I'm willing to do my part for the company's development.
HSK 3
Wǒmen xiǎoxiǎo de nǔlì, yě shì zài tiānzhuān-jiāwǎ.
Our small efforts are also contributing our share.
HSK 5
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 为 + [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 (砖) and lay tiles (瓦). Every small contribution builds the wall bit by bit.

Stroke Order

添 tiān
砖 zhuān
加 jiā
瓦 wǎ