qiǎo​fù​zuò​bù​dé​wú​miàn​bó​tuō

even the cleverest housewife cannot make noodles without flour

Senses

巧妇做不得无面馎饦/ 巧婦做不得無麵餺飥 qiǎo​fù​zuò​bù​dé​wú​miàn​bó​tuō even the cleverest housewife cannot make noodles without flour

it is impossible to accomplish a task without the necessary resources; synonymous with the phrase describing a housewife unable to cook without rice

References

synonym 巧妇难为无米之炊/巧婦難為無米之炊 巧妇做不得无面馎饦/巧婦做不得無麵餺飥