Rén bù shuō, bù tōng; mù bù zuān, bù tòu.

人不說, 不通; 木不鑽, 不透。

Lit [If you] don't try to speak [i.e., reason with] others, [they] won't understand [you, just as] without drilling, [you can]not get through a wood[en board].

Note [See also gǔ bù dǎ above.]

Topics REASON SPEECH