从无到有 (cōng) — to grow out of nothing, to create from scratch

Definition

Examples

• 这个小公司从无到有，现在已经很有名气了。
  Zhè ge xiǎo gōng sī cōng, xiàn zài yǐ jīng hěn yǒu míng qì le.
  This small company grew out of nothing and is now very famous.
• 中国的航天事业从无到有，取得了巨大成就。
  Zhōng guó de háng tiān shì yè cōng, qǔ dé le jù dà chéng jiù.
  China's aerospace industry started from nothing and achieved great success.
• 他的艺术生涯从无到有，非常不容易。
  Tā de yì shù shēng yá cōng, fēi cháng bù róng yì.
  His artistic career grew out of nothing, which was really not easy.