高大的橡树是从一颗小小的橡子成长而来的。

Great oaks from little acorns grow.

Source: Tatoeba

Sentence Composition

1 高大 gāodà tall; lofty; towering
=2 的 de
  1. of; ~'s (possessive particle)
  2. (used after an attribute when it modifies a noun)
  3. (used at the end of a declarative sentence for emphasis)
  4. (used after a noun, verb or adjective to form a nominal expression, as in 皮革的 pígéde "one made of leather" or 跑堂兒的 pǎotángrde "a waiter (literally, one who runs back and forth in a restaurant)" or 新的 xīnde "new one")
  5. also pr. dì or di in poetry and songs
=2 的 dī a taxi; a cab (abbr. for 的士 dīshì)
=2 的 dí really and truly
=2 的 dì (bound form) bull's-eye; target
3 橡树 xiàngshù oak
=4 是 shì
  1. to be (followed by substantives only)
  2. correct; right; true
  3. (respectful acknowledgement of a command) very well
  4. (adverb for emphatic assertion)
=4 是 shì variant of 是 shì
=5 从 cóng variant of 從 cóng
=5 从 Cóng surname Cong
=5 从 cóng
  1. from; through; via
  2. (bound form) to follow
  3. (bound form) to obey
  4. (bound form) to engage in (an activity)
  5. (used before a negative) ever
  6. (bound form) (Taiwan pr. zòng) retainer; attendant
  7. (bound form) (Taiwan pr. zòng) assistant; auxiliary; subordinate
  8. (bound form) (Taiwan pr. zòng) related by common paternal grandfather or earlier ancestor
6 一 yī
  1. one
  2. single
  3. a (article)
  4. as soon as
  5. entire; whole; all; throughout
  6. "one" radical in Chinese characters (Kangxi radical 1)
  7. also pr. yāo for greater clarity when spelling out numbers digit by digit
7 颗 kē classifier for small spheres, pearls, corn grains, teeth, hearts, satellites etc
8 小小 xiǎoxiǎo
  1. very small
  2. very few
  3. very minor
=9 的 de
  1. of; ~'s (possessive particle)
  2. (used after an attribute when it modifies a noun)
  3. (used at the end of a declarative sentence for emphasis)
  4. (used after a noun, verb or adjective to form a nominal expression, as in 皮革的 pígéde "one made of leather" or 跑堂兒的 pǎotángrde "a waiter (literally, one who runs back and forth in a restaurant)" or 新的 xīnde "new one")
  5. also pr. dì or di in poetry and songs
=9 的 dī a taxi; a cab (abbr. for 的士 dīshì)
=9 的 dí really and truly
=9 的 dì (bound form) bull's-eye; target
10 橡子 xiàngzǐ acorn
11 成长 chéngzhǎng
  1. to mature
  2. to grow
  3. growth
12 而 ér
  1. and
  2. as well as
  3. and so
  4. but (not)
  5. yet (not)
  6. (indicates causal relation)
  7. (indicates change of state)
  8. (indicates contrast)
13 来的 láide
  1. (regional, chiefly Cantonese-influenced Mandarin, colloquial) synonym of 來著 /来着 (láizhe)
  2. at; in
  3. synonym of 來著 /来着 (láizhe)
  4. to be at; to be in; to exist
  5. used to indicate the continuous aspect