厚积薄发

hòu jī bó fā

long, deep preparation and then a breakthrough

Character by character

厚hòu
thick

积jī
accumulation

薄bó
thin

发fā
release

这家公司研究了十几年，终于厚积薄发，推出了自己的芯片。

After more than ten years of research the company finally broke through and launched its own chip.

Tone: positive (praise).

Learn this in Lesson 106 · HSK 7–9: 芯片与人工智能 (Chips and artificial intelligence)

A dialogue, a reading, word cards with audio and a drill that uses it, in Learn Chinese with Bao. The first lessons of every level are free.