# 涓滴归公

juān dī guī gōng

Account for every small amount for the shared purpose

## Meaning & wording

**Literally:** Every drop returns to the public

**Traditional Chinese:** 涓滴歸公

**Register:** Literary · formal

[People & connection](https://chinese-idioms.yudis.dev/idioms/topics/relationships)

## When to use it

Praise careful accounting of resources entrusted for communal use.

A formal expression about responsibility, not a demand to give away personal belongings.

## The image & its use

Even small amounts matter when resources have been entrusted to someone for a shared purpose. The image of individual drops emphasizes complete accounting: nothing is treated as too minor to record properly. This expression is often used in formal praise of responsible handling of public or communal resources. It can apply to a modest project as well as a larger organization. Identify the shared funds or materials involved so the phrase does not imply that a person's own possessions belong to everyone.

## Examples

活动经费由她管理，账目清楚，涓滴归公。

### Traditional Chinese

活動經費由她管理，賬目清楚，涓滴歸公。

huó dòng jīng fèi yóu tā guǎn lǐ ， zhàng mù qīng chǔ ， juān dī guī gōng 。

She managed the activity funds transparently and accounted for every amount.

这个小组坚持涓滴归公，剩余材料都登记入库。

### Traditional Chinese

這個小組堅持涓滴歸公，剩餘材料都登記入庫。

zhè ge xiǎo zǔ jiān chí juān dī guī gōng ， shèng yú cái liào dōu dēng jì rù kù 。

The group accounted for shared resources and recorded all leftover materials.

社区项目要求经费涓滴归公。

### Traditional Chinese

社區項目要求經費涓滴歸公。

shè qū xiàng mù yāo qiú jīng fèi juān dī guī gōng 。

The community project requires every amount of its funds to be properly accounted for.

他处理公共物品时涓滴归公，十分细心。

### Traditional Chinese

他處理公共物品時涓滴歸公，十分細心。

tā chǔ lǐ gōng gòng wù pǐn shí juān dī guī gōng ， shí fēn xì xīn 。

He carefully accounts for every shared item he handles.

## Sources & reference checks

Original explanations and examples from Chinese Idioms Almanac. Source-checked October 7, 2026.

- [Ministry of Education · 成語典](https://dict.idioms.moe.edu.tw/idiomView.jsp?ID=1225&webMd=1&la=0)

- [CC-CEDICT · forms & pronunciation](https://www.mdbg.net/chinese/dictionary?page=worddict&wdqb=%E6%B6%93%E6%BB%B4%E6%AD%B8%E5%85%AC)

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