燕子衔泥垒大窝

yàn zi xián ní lěi dà wō

the swallow's nest is built one beakful of mud at a time (idiom)

many a little makes a mickle

yàn

variant of 燕[yan4]

zi

noun suffix, as in 椅子[yi3 zi5] "chair"

xián

bit (of a bridle)

mud

lěi

rampart

big; large; great

nest