积少成多

Origin and story

This expression states a principle of accumulation rather than naming a single hero's adventure. The Ministry of Education dictionary documents the exact wording in late-Qing fiction. In chapter 29 of Twenty Years of Strange Events, individually small amounts become a substantial total when repeated across people and years. Chapter 48 of Wenming Xiaoshi similarly observes that tiny profits can add up considerably over a year.

These passages establish literary usage, not the first invention of the phrase. The underlying idea applies equally to savings, learning, and unwanted costs: each addition may be slight, but the accumulated amount is not. Context determines whether that growth is welcome.