Definition
This chengyu means 'break up the whole into smaller parts' — a strategy used when a large, overwhelming task is divided into manageable pieces so it can be handled step by step. You'll often hear it in project management, studying, or problem-solving contexts. It's the opposite of 合零为整 (combine parts into a whole).
idiom
to break a large task into smaller parts to deal with them one by one
Examples
- ，化整为零，。Xuéxí xīn jìnéng shí, kěyǐ bǎ dà mùbiāo huà zhěng wéi líng, yī bù bù wánchéng.When learning a new skill, you can break the big goal into smaller parts and complete them step by step.
- ，化整为零。Zhège xiàngmù tài fùzá le, jiànyì cǎiyòng huà zhěng wéi líng de fāngfǎ lái guǎnlǐ.This project is too complex; I suggest using a 'break the whole into parts' approach to manage it.
- ，化整为零，。Yù dào nántí bùyào huāng, huà zhěng wéi líng, xiān cóng jiǎndān de bùfen zuò qǐ.Don't panic when you encounter a difficult problem; break it into parts and start with the simpler parts first.
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