English Idiom: Cog in the machine
A cog in the machine is a small part of a large organization. Despite its small size, it’s necessary for the organization to run smoothly.
Most often when a person describes themselves as a cog in the machine, they feel underappreciated, or their superiors do not notice their contribution.
Poor Aggretsuko, the Sanrio character, probably feels like this most of the time.
Of course, many expressions can have more than one meaning. Someone who wants to downplay their importance or refuse to accept accolades for doing a good job could also use today’s idiom.
A humble person who wants to downplay their contribution could say, “Who me? Do a great job? No! I’m just a cog in the machine. My contribution to the project was merely a drop in the bucket.”