微不足道

1. Basic Information

• Pinyin: wēi bù zú dào
• English Translation: Insignificant, trivial, extremely small
• Idiom Composition: 「微」（Slight, tiny）＋「不」（Not）＋「足」（Enough, sufficient）＋「道」（To say, to mention）
• Meaning: Extremely small and insignificant. It describes something with little value or impact, not worth considering as a problem.

2. Detailed Meaning and Nuances

「微不足道」 contains the following nuances:

• Extremely small: Indicates something that is extremely small not only in physical size but also in value, influence, or importance.
• Insignificant: Shows that something is of low importance, negligible, and not worth considering.
• Modesty: Also used to modestly express one's own contributions or abilities.

3. Usage

「微不足道」 is mainly used in the following contexts:

• Emphasizing smallness: Used to emphasize that something is very small or unimportant.
  • Example:「他在这个项目中的作用微不足道。」
    （His role in this project is insignificant.）
• Modest expression: Used when modestly describing one's own contributions or abilities.
  • Example:「我只是做了一些微不足道的工作。」
    （I only did some insignificant work.）
• Comparison: Used to highlight the smallness of something by comparing it to something much larger.
  • Example:「与整个宇宙相比，地球只是微不足道的一粒尘埃。」
    （Compared to the entire universe, Earth is just an insignificant speck of dust.）

Additional Examples:

1. 这个问题对我来说微不足道，很容易解决。
   （This problem is insignificant to me and can be easily solved.）
2. 虽然他的贡献看起来微不足道，但对整个团队来说却很重要。
   （Although his contribution seems insignificant, it is very important to the entire team.）
3. 在历史的长河中，个人的得失显得微不足道。
   （In the long course of history, individual gains and losses appear insignificant.）
4. 不要因为一些微不足道的小事而影响了我们的友谊。
   （Don't let some insignificant trivial matters affect our friendship.）
5. 他的错误在整个计划中是微不足道的，不会造成太大影响。
   （His mistake is insignificant in the whole plan and will not cause much impact.）

4. Cultural Background and Notes

• Virtue of modesty: In Chinese culture, modesty is considered a virtue. '微不足道' is used to modestly express one's abilities or contributions, reflecting this cultural value.
• Excessive modesty: However, overusing it may be perceived as lack of confidence or avoidance of responsibility, so caution is needed.
• Contextual judgment: Depending on the context, '微不足道' can mean something truly small or be used as a modest expression. It is important to judge appropriately from the context.

5. Similar and Opposite Idioms

• Similar Idioms:
  • 不值一提 (bù zhí yì tí): Not worth mentioning, insignificant.
  • 无足轻重 (wú zú qīng zhòng): Not worth discussing importance, insignificant.
• Opposite Idioms:
  • 举足轻重 (jǔ zú qīng zhòng): Every move has a great impact; very important.
  • 至关重要 (zhì guān zhòng yào): Extremely important, crucial.

6. Summary

'微不足道' not only expresses the smallness or low importance of something but also reflects the virtue of modesty in Chinese culture. When using this idiom, it is important to consider the context and avoid excessive modesty. Learning related and antonym idioms can also help broaden your expressive range.