qiǎo​xí​fù​zhǔ​bù​dé​méi​mǐ​zhōu

even a clever housewife cannot cook rice porridge without rice

Senses

巧媳妇煮不得没米粥/ 巧媳婦煮不得沒米粥 qiǎo​xí​fù​zhǔ​bù​dé​méi​mǐ​zhōu even a clever housewife cannot cook rice porridge without rice

one cannot achieve anything without the necessary means or materials

References

synonym 巧妇难为无米之炊/巧婦難為無米之炊 巧媳妇煮不得没米粥/巧媳婦煮不得沒米粥