强扭的瓜不甜

qiǎng niǔ de guā bù tián

lit. if you have to use force to break a melon off the vine, it won't taste sweet (because it's only when the melon is ripe that it can be removed with just a slight twist) (idiom)

fig. if sth is not meant to be, it's no use trying to force it to happen

qiǎng

to force

niǔ

to turn

de

of; ~'s (possessive particle)

guā

melon; gourd; squash

no; not so

tián

sweet