英和和英

名詞

building block (plural building blocks)

1. (literally) A component that is part of a larger construction, such as a brick or a stone.
   1. A block made of wood or plastic that is used as a children's toy and can be stacked or joined to form a larger structure.
2. (figuratively) A component that is an essential part of a larger system.

   Words are the building blocks of a language.

   Cells are the building blocks of life.

   • 2023 June 30, Marina Hyde, “The tide is coming in fast on Rishi Sunak – and it’s full of sewage”, in The Guardian‎:

     If you thought leveraged debt was bad when the Glazers did it with Manchester United, it’s possible you’ll find it even worse when water firms are holding you to a 40% bill hike if you simply want one of the essential building blocks of human life to come out of your tap.

参考

• stepping stone
• stumbling block