抹一鼻子灰

1. • lit. to rub one's nose with dust
2. • to suffer a snub
3. • to meet with a rebuff

Character by character

• 抹(mǒ)smear
• 一(yī)one
• 鼻(bí)nose
• 子(zi)noun suffix, as in 椅子 yǐzi "chair"
• 灰(huī)ash