马尾穿豆腐,提不起来

mǎ wěi chuān dòu fu , tí bu qǐ lai

lit. like tofu strung on horsetail, you can't lift it

fig. let's not talk of this (pun on 提[ti2])

马

mǎ

abbr. for Malaysia 馬來西亞|马来西亚[Ma3 lai2 xi1 ya4]

尾

wěi

tail

穿

chuān

to wear

豆

dòu

legume; pulse; bean; pea (CL:顆|颗[ke1],粒[li4])

腐

fu

decay

,

,

提

tí

to carry (hanging down from the hand)

不

bu

no; not so

起

qǐ

to rise

来

lai

to come