蚁穴坏堤(蟻穴壞堤)
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.
Also searched as: yi xue huai di, yi xue huai di,蚁穴坏堤 meaning, 蚁穴坏堤 in english
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.
When to Use
Situation: A minor oversight in the code led to a critical system failure
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Related Chinese Idioms
Similar idioms about life philosophy
千里迢迢
qiān lǐ tiáo tiáo
Travel a great distance
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民富国强
mín fù guó qiáng
Prosperous people and powerful nation
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国泰民安
guó tài mín ān
National peace and public security
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太平盛世
tài píng shèng shì
Golden age of peace and prosperity
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四海升平
sì hǎi shēng píng
Peace everywhere; universal harmony
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安土重迁
ān tǔ zhòng qiān
Prefer stability; reluctant to relocate
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故土难离
gù tǔ nán lí
Hard to leave one's homeland
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落叶归根
luò yè guī gēn
Return to one's roots; go back home
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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 theLife Philosophy category..
When is 蚁穴坏堤 used?
Situation: A minor oversight in the code led to a critical system failure
What is the pinyin for 蚁穴坏堤?
The pinyin pronunciation for 蚁穴坏堤 is “yǐ xuē huài dī”.