星星之火，可以燎原

xīng xing zhī huǒ , kě yǐ liáo yuán

a single spark can start a huge blaze (idiom); an insignificant cause can have a massive effect

星

xīng

star

星

xing

star

之

zhī

(possessive particle, literary equivalent of 的[de5])

火

huǒ

fire

，

,

可

kě

(prefix) can; may; able to; -able

以

yǐ

abbr. for Israel 以色列[Yi3 se4 lie4]

燎

liáo

to burn

原

yuán

former