吃力不讨好 chī lì bù tǎo hǎo

DEFINITIONS

  1. arduous and thankless task (idiom); strenuous and unrewarding

CHARACTERS

吃 chī eat; drink; suffer, endure, bear
力 lì power, capability, influence
不 bù no, not; un-; negative prefix
讨 tǎo to discuss; ask for, beg; demand; dun; marry
好 hǎo good, excellent, fine; well