马尾儿穿豆腐，提不起来馬尾兒穿豆腐，提不起來馬尾兒穿豆腐，提不起來

Threading tofu on a horsehair: can't be lifted

Saying俗语俗語

Two-part saying歇后语歇後語 · Rarely used now

Meaning: Said of someone who cannot be built up or promoted, however much help they get. Disparaging.
Wordplay: 提不起来 literally 'can't be lifted up', figuratively 'can't be raised to a higher position'.

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Simplified: 马尾儿穿豆腐，提不起来
Traditional (Taiwan): 馬尾兒穿豆腐，提不起來
Pinyin: mǎyǐ ér chuān dòufu, tí bù qǐlai
Bopomofo: ㄇㄚˇ ㄧˇ ㄦˊ ㄔㄨㄢㄉㄡˋ ˙ㄈㄨ，ㄊㄧˊ ㄅㄨˋ ㄑㄧˇ ˙ㄌㄞ

Written with HSK 5 vocabulary, at CEFR level B2.

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