化整为零 (huà zhěng wéi líng) — (idiom) to break a large task into smaller parts to deal with them one by one

Definition

Examples

• 学习新技能时，可以把大目标化整为零，一步步完成。
  Xué xí xīn jì néng shí, kě yǐ bǎ dà mù biāo huà zhěng wéi líng, yí bù bù wán chéng.
  When learning a new skill, you can break the big goal into smaller parts and complete them step by step.
• 这个项目太复杂了，建议采用化整为零的方法来管理。
  Zhè ge xiàng mù tài fù zá le, jiàn yì cǎi yòng huà zhěng wéi líng de fāng fǎ lái guǎn lǐ.
  This project is too complex; I suggest using a 'break the whole into parts' approach to manage it.
• 遇到难题不要慌，化整为零，先从简单的部分做起。
  Yù dào nán tí bú yào huāng, huà zhěng wéi líng, xiān cóng jiǎn dān de bù fen zuò qǐ.
  Don't panic when you encounter a difficult problem; break it into parts and start with the simpler parts first.