微不足道

1. Basic Information

• Pinyin: wēi bù zú dào
• English Translation: Insignificant / Not worth mentioning
• Idiom Composition: 「微」（Minute; tiny; microscopic.）＋「不」（Not; no.）＋「足」（Sufficient; worth; enough.）＋「道」（To speak; to say; to mention.）
• Meaning: Describes something so small or trivial that it is not worth mentioning. It refers to things with very little value, significance, or power, and is often used to express modesty about one's own contributions.

2. Detailed Meaning and Nuances

「微不足道」 contains the following nuances:

• Smallness of Scale or Value: It emphasizes that not just physical size, but also influence, contribution, or quantity is negligible compared to the whole.
• The Evaluation of 'Not Worth Discussing': By negating the term 足道 (zú dào), which means 'worth mentioning,' the idiom indicates that the subject does not merit serious discussion or praise.

3. Usage

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

• Modesty regarding one's contributions: A standard way to respond when thanked for help or an achievement, politely suggesting it was 'no big deal.'
  • Example:「为大家做这点小事微不足道，您不必挂在心上。」
    （Doing this small favor for everyone is not worth mentioning, so please don't worry about it.）
• Emphasis through comparison: Used to highlight how small something is when compared to a much larger entity or challenge.
  • Example:「个人的力量在历史的洪流面前是微不足道的。」
    （Individual power is insignificant when faced with the great torrent of history.）
• Consolation or encouragement: Used to reassure someone by suggesting that a failure, loss, or flaw is too small to worry about.
  • Example:「这点挫折与你未来的成就相比，简直微不足道。」
    （This small setback is negligible compared to your future success.）

Additional Examples:

1. 虽然这笔捐款微不足道，但希望能帮到一些人。
   （Although this donation is small, I hope it can help some people.）
2. 他在整个计划中扮演的角色微不足道。
   （The role he played in the entire project was insignificant.）
3. 比起生命的安全，这点财产损失微不足道。
   （Compared to the safety of life, this loss of property is trivial.）
4. 这些微不足道的细节往往决定了成败。
   （These insignificant details often determine success or failure.）
5. 对于浩瀚的宇宙来说，地球也是微不足道的。
   （To the vast universe, even the Earth is a tiny existence.）

4. Cultural Background and Notes

• The Virtue of Modesty: In Chinese culture, it is considered a virtue to be humble and not boast about one's achievements. 微不足道 (wēi bù zú dào) is a common humble expression used to downplay one's own actions to show respect to others.
• Usage Range: This idiom is widely used in both written and spoken Chinese, ranging from formal speeches to daily conversations.

5. Similar and Opposite Idioms

• Similar Idioms:
  • 微乎其微 (wēi hū qí wēi): Extremely small; usually emphasizes that a quantity or probability is very low.
  • 不足挂齿 (bù zú guà chǐ): Literally 'not worth hanging on the teeth'; used as a humble expression to say something is not worth mentioning.
  • 无足轻重 (wú zú qīng zhòng): Of no importance; insignificant.link
  • 鸡毛蒜皮 (jī máo suàn pí): Referring to trivial and insignificant matters.link
• Opposite Idioms:
  • 举足轻重 (jǔ zú qīng zhòng): To hold a decisive position where even a small move carries great weight.
  • 硕大无比 (shuò dà wú bǐ): Gigantic; incomparably large.
  • 至关重要 (zhì guān zhòng yào): Extremely important or crucial.link
  • 重中之重 (zhòng zhōng zhī zhòng): The most important among many important things.link

6. Summary

微不足道 (wēi bù zú dào) is an idiom used to describe things that are extremely small or insignificant. It can be used to objectively state that something is unimportant, or as a polite way to downplay one's own achievements or help as 'nothing special.' It is a versatile phrase suitable for both casual and formal contexts.