抹一鼻子灰

mǒ yī bí zi huī

lit. to rub one's nose with dust

to suffer a snub; to meet with a rebuff

抹

mǒ

to smear

一

yī

one

鼻

bí

nose

子

zi

noun suffix, as in 椅子[yi3 zi5] "chair"

灰

huī

ash