榆木脑袋，不开窍榆木腦袋，不開竅榆木腦袋，不開竅

an elm-wood head: not opened up

Saying俗语俗語

Two-part saying歇后语歇後語 · Widely known

Meaning: Describes a person whose thinking is rigid and who is slow to take in new ideas. Mocking; like "thick as a plank".
Wordplay: The figure is not a pun: elm wood is hard, and 开窍 (kāiqiào) means both to open a hole and to "get it", so a hard wooden head will not open up.

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Simplified: 榆木脑袋，不开窍
Traditional (Taiwan): 榆木腦袋，不開竅
Pinyin: yúmùnǎodai, bùkāiqiào
Bopomofo: ㄩˊ ㄇㄨˋ ㄋㄠˇ ˙ㄉㄞ，ㄅㄨˋ ㄎㄞㄑㄧㄠˋ

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