一盤散沙 yī pán sǎn shā

DEFINITIONS

  1. lit. like a sheet of loose sand
  2. fig. unable to cooperate (idiom)

CHARACTERS

一 yī
HSK 1
one; a, an; alone
盤 pán tray, plate, dish; examine
散 sǎn
HSK 4
scatter, disperse, break up
沙 shā
HSK 4
sand, gravel, pebbles; granulated