used to say that a particular thing, when considered as a whole, is more important, better, etc. than you would expect from looking at the individual parts that make it up: 个体相加不如集体的力量大
to be better or more effective as a group than you would think just by looking at the individual members of the group
He has built a global operation that is clearly bigger than the sum of its parts.
She believes that the Catholic faith is more than the sum of its dogmas.
The team lacks standout players, but it has proved to be greater than the sum of its parts.