單絲不成線，獨木不成林 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

單 dān single, individual, only; lone
絲 sī silk; fine thread; wire; strings
不 bù
HSK 1
no, not; un-; negative prefix
成 chéng
HSK 3
completed, finished, fixed
線 xiàn thread, line, wire; clue
獨 dú 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