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单丝不成线，独木不成林

dān sī bù chéng xiàn , dú mù bù chéng líndictionary entry
DEFINITION CC-CEDICT
(proverb) one strand does not make a thread, one tree does not make a forest
Sources & editorial notes

Reference definitions: CC-CEDICT contributors and MDBG, CC BY-SA 4.0. Source release 2026-10-27T01:55:52Z. Imported 2026-10-27. Definition wording and meaning order are retained. Recognized pronunciation references are displayed with tone marks; the original source record is available below.

Source record: cd-542c2b88e7855fd2. Source SHA-256: bbc4b27f26bee1a262f4d7939667a040c7857c7fc0200a2fa7a86d3352a09eae.

Original source entry:

單絲不成線，獨木不成林 单丝不成线，独木不成林 [dan1 si1 bu4 cheng2 xian4 , du2 mu4 bu4 cheng2 lin2] /(proverb) one strand does not make a thread, one tree does not make a forest/

Reference definitions and teaching material have separate provenance.

Reference information

The definitions above are from CC-CEDICT. Examples and usage notes are available on selected entries.

Character information

View the individual characters. Their meanings do not necessarily explain the meaning of the whole word.

Other forms in these source records: 單絲不成線，獨木不成林

  • 单
    chán

    used in 單于|单于[chán yú]

    dān

    bill / list / form / single / only / sole / odd number / CL:個|个[gè]

    Shàn

    surname Shan

  • 丝
    sī

    silk / thread-like thing / (cuisine) shreds or julienne strips / classifier: a trace (of smoke etc), a tiny bit etc

  • 不
    bù

    no / not so / (bound form) not / un-

  • 成
    chéng

    to succeed / to finish / to complete / to accomplish / to become / to turn into / to be all right / OK! / one tenth

    Chéng

    surname Cheng / short name for Chengdu 成都[Chéng dū]

  • 线
    xiàn

    thread / string / wire / line / CL:條|条[tiáo],股[gǔ],根[gēn] / (after a number) tier (unofficial ranking of a Chinese city)

  • 独
    dú

    alone / independent / single / sole / only

  • 木
    mù

    (bound form) tree / (bound form) wood / unresponsive / numb / wooden

    Mù

    surname Mu

  • 不
    bù

    no / not so / (bound form) not / un-

  • 成
    chéng

    to succeed / to finish / to complete / to accomplish / to become / to turn into / to be all right / OK! / one tenth

    Chéng

    surname Cheng / short name for Chengdu 成都[Chéng dū]

  • 林
    lín

    (bound form) woods / forest / (bound form) circle(s) (i.e. specific group of people) / (bound form) a collection (of similar things)

    Lín

    surname Lin / Japanese surname Hayashi

Reference definitions from CC-CEDICT.