to pass one end of a thread through the eye of a needle

to pass a thread through the eye of a needle

literally "Zhang Fei threads a needle"; a two-part allegorical saying meaning that because the legendary warrior Zhang Fei had huge eyes and the eye of a needle is tiny, he could only stare at it; describes people staring at each other in bewilderment, having no idea what to do, as in the phrase [[大眼瞪小眼|大眼瞪小眼|da4 yan3 deng4 xiao3 yan3]]

to thread a needle; to pass a thread through the eye of a needle