Qiǎofù nánwei wú mǐ zhī chuī.*

巧婦難為無米之炊。

Lit [Even] the clever[est] housewife is hard pressed to cook a meal without rice.

Fig You can't make something out of nothing; “one can't make bricks without straw.”

Note [Said of the clever wife Wang Xihong in DRC, chap. 24; cf. Gǔ-Jīn Xiǎoshuō; chap. 8; note: wúmǐzhīchuī has become a set expression equivalent to “make bricks without straw.” See also měng jiāngjūn wú above.]

Topics CLEVERNESS DRC Gǔ-Jīn Xiǎoshuō LIMITATIONS Wang Xihong WORKING wúmǐzhīchuī