单丝不成线，独木不成林 dān sī bù chéng xiàn ， dú mù bù chéng lín

DEFINITIONS

  1. one strand does not make a thread, one tree does not make a forest (idiom)

CHARACTERS

单 dān
HSK 3
single, individual, only; lone
丝 sī
HSK 5
silk; fine thread; wire; strings
不 bù
HSK 1
no, not; un-; negative prefix
成 chéng
HSK 3
completed, finished, fixed
线 xiàn
HSK 4
line, thread, wire; clue
独 dú
HSK 5
alone, single, solitary, only
木 mù
HSK 5
tree; wood, lumber; wooden
不 bù
HSK 1
no, not; un-; negative prefix
成 chéng
HSK 3
completed, finished, fixed
林 lín
HSK 4
forest, grove; surname