a cultured person or individual of high social standing remains superior to common people even after they have fallen on hard times

那位老教授虽然落魄了，但瘦死的骆驼比马大，他的学识和气质依然让旁人自愧不如。

lit. even a scrawny camel is bigger than a horse; figuratively, even after suffering a major loss, a rich person or entity is still better off than ordinary people

别看这家公司现在大不如前，但瘦死的骆驼比马大，它的底子依然比很多小企业厚实。