Word: 不得 (bùdé)

一身做不得两件事，一时用不得两条心

yìshēn zuò bùdé liǎng jiàn shì, yìshí yòng bùdé liǎng tiáo xīn

one body cannot do two things; one moment cannot use two minds

三十晚上的案板,不得空儿

sānshíwǎnshang de ànbǎn,bùdé kòngr

the chopping board on New Year's Eve: never empty

仓颉造字，马虎不得

Cāng Jié zàozì, mǎhu bùdé

Cang Jie inventing characters: can't be careless

你太老了，做不得这种事了。

Nǐ tài lǎole, zuò bùdé zhèzhǒng shì le.

You're too old to be doing this kind of thing.

偷来的锣，敲不得

tōu lái de luó, qiāo bùdé

a stolen gong: can't be beaten

偷来的锣鼓，敲不得

tōu lái de luógǔ, qiāo bùdé

stolen gongs and drums: can't be beaten

医得病，医不得命；医得身，医不得心

yī débìng, yī bùde ming; yī de shēn, yī bùdé xīn

can cure illness but not fate; can cure the body but not the heart

十层单当不得一层棉

shí céng dān dāng bùdé yìcéng mián

ten layers of thin cloth can't equal one layer of padding

员工不得擅自离开岗位。

Yuángōng bùdé shànzì líkāi gǎngwèi.

Employees must not leave their posts without permission.

小庙里的神仙，担不得大香火

xiǎo miào lǐ de shénxiān, dān bùdé dà xiānghuǒ

a god in a small temple: cannot bear a big offering of incense

属刺猬的，捧不得也打不得

shǔ cìwei de, pěng bùdé yě dǎ bùdé

born a hedgehog: can't be held up and can't be hit

年画上的耕牛，犁不得

niánhuà shàng de gēngniú, lí bùdé

the ploughing ox in a New Year picture: can't plough (leave)

性急钓不得大鱼

xìngjí diào bùdé dà yú

an impatient person cannot catch big fish

我们可犯不得错误。

Wǒmen kě fàn bùdé cuòwù.

We can't afford mistakes.

我哭不得，笑不得。

Wǒ kū bùdé, xiào bùdé.

I don't know whether to cry or to laugh.

我记不得最后看的什么。

Wǒ jì bùdé zuìhòu kàn de shénme.

I don't remember what I was watching in the end.

沙滩上行船，进不得退不得

shātān shang xíngchuán, jìn bùdé tuì bùdé

sailing a boat on a sandbank: can't go forward or back

泥菩萨的眼珠，动不得

nípúsà de yǎnzhū, dòng bùdé

the eyeballs of a clay Buddha: can't be moved

满堂儿女，当不得半席夫妻

mǎntáng érnǚ, dāng bùdé bàn xí fūqī

a hall full of children is not worth half a mat of husband and wife

猕猴精冒充孙悟空，假的见不得真的

míhóu jīng màochōng Sūn Wùkōng, jiǎ de jiàn bùdé zhēnde

a macaque spirit posing as Sun Wukong: the fake can't face the real one

瓦上霜，见不得太阳

wǎshangshuāng, jiàn bùdé tàiyang

frost on roof tiles: can't face the sun

穷遮不得,丑瞒不得

qióng zhē bùdé,chǒu mán bùdé

poverty can't be covered up, ugliness can't be hidden

老虎的屁股,摸不得

lǎohǔ de pìgu,mō bùdé

a tiger's backside: can't be touched

脑门上贴邮票，邮不得人

nǎomén shàng tiē yóupiào, yóu bùdé rén

sticking a stamp on one's forehead: can't be posted (can't be up to a person)

草字出了格，神仙认不得

cǎozì chūle gé, shénxiān rèn bùdé

If cursive goes beyond the rules, even immortals can't read it

豆腐掉进灰堆里，吹也吹不得，打也打不得

dòufu diào jìn huī duī li, chuī yě chuī bùdé, dǎ yě dǎ bùdé

tofu fallen into the ash heap: can't blow it clean, can't beat it clean

豆腐掉进灰窝里，吹掸不得

dòufu diào jìn huī wō li, chuī dǎn bùdé

tofu fallen into the ash pit: can't be blown or dusted

隔年的皇历，翻不得

gé nián de huángli, fān bùdé

last year's almanac: can't be consulted

鳄鱼流眼泪，可怜不得

èyú liú yǎnlèi, kělián bùdé

a crocodile shedding tears: can't be pitied