巧妇难为无米之炊
qiǎo​fù​nán​wéi​wú​mǐ​zhī​chuī

even the cleverest housewife cannot cook without rice

  1. 巧妇 巧婦 qiǎo​fù
    clever housewife
    a capable and ingenious housewife or a woman who is skilled in household tasks
  2. 难为 難為 nán​wéi
    hard to do
    (bound form) Difficult to perform, manage, or achieve.
  3. 无米之炊 無米之炊 wú​mǐ​zhī​chuī
    bricks without straw
    A meal cooked without rice; used to describe a task that is impossible to complete because the necessary materials or conditions are missing