an inch of silk and half a grain of rice -- a little bit

an inch of silk and half a grain of rice -- a little bit

It's a Chinese idiom. Pinyin is C ù ns ī B à ns ù, which means to compare tiny things. It comes from the 40th chapter of scholars by Wu Jingzi of Qing Dynasty.

Idiom explanation

It's a metaphor for tiny things.

The origin of Idioms

Son can't pinch a penny to honor his father, but he has to spend his father's property. He really can't compare himself with others. He is extremely ashamed! (the 40th chapter of scholars by Wu Jingzi in Qing Dynasty)