强扭的瓜不甜 qiǎng niǔ de guā bù tián

DEFINITIONS

  1. 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)
  2. fig. if sth is not meant to be, it's no use trying to force it to happen

CHARACTERS

强 qiǎng
HSK 5
strong, powerful, energetic
扭 niǔ
HSK 6
turn, twist, wrench; seize, grasp
的 de
HSK 1
possessive, adjectival suffix
瓜 guā
HSK 2
melon, gourd, cucumber; rad. 97
不 bù
HSK 1
no, not; un-; negative prefix
甜 tián
HSK 3
sweet, sweetness