蚁穴坏堤
蚁穴坏堤 (yǐ xuē huài dī) literally means “ant holes break dike” and expresses “small problems cause disaster”. This idiom is used when describing situations involving life philosophy. It originates from ancient Chinese literature and remains commonly used in modern Mandarin.
Also searched as: yi xue huai di, yi xue huai di,蚁穴坏堤 meaning, 蚁穴坏堤 in english
Small problems cause disaster
Pronunciation: yǐ xuē huài dī
Literal meaning: Ant holes break dike
Origin & Usage
Dating to ancient Chinese agricultural texts, this observation of how tiny ant (蚁) holes (穴) can ultimately destroy (坏) a massive dike (堤) became a powerful metaphor for how small problems can lead to catastrophic failures. The imagery draws from the annual flooding seasons when river management was crucial for civilization's survival. Agricultural records from the Han Dynasty detail how inspectors would specifically check for ant colonies in dikes, recognizing their threat to structural integrity. In modern context, it warns against neglecting minor issues in everything from software security to organizational management, where small vulnerabilities can cascade into system-wide failures.
Examples
English: "A minor oversight in the code led to a critical system failure"
Chinese: 代码中的一个小疏忽导致了系统的重大故障
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does 蚁穴坏堤 mean in English?
蚁穴坏堤 (yǐ xuē huài dī) literally translates to “Ant holes break dike” and is used to express “Small problems cause disaster”. This Chinese idiom belongs to the Life Philosophy category.
When is 蚁穴坏堤 used?
Situation: This idiom applies when describing situations involving small problems cause disaster.
What is the pinyin for 蚁穴坏堤?
The pinyin pronunciation for 蚁穴坏堤 is “yǐ xuē huài dī”.