小洞不堵,大洞吃苦 xiǎo dòng bù dǔ , dà dòng chī kǔ

DEFINITIONS

  1. a small hole not plugged will give you grief when it gets bigger (idiom)
  2. a stitch in time saves nine

CHARACTERS

小 xiǎo small, tiny, insignificant
洞 dòng cave, grotto; ravine; hole
不 bù no, not; un-; negative prefix
堵 dǔ wall; stop, prevent; stop up
大 dà big, great, vast, large, high
洞 dòng cave, grotto; ravine; hole
吃 chī eat; drink; suffer, endure, bear
苦 kǔ bitter; hardship, suffering