泥菩萨过江,自身难保 ní pú sà guò jiāng , zì shēn nán bǎo

DEFINITIONS

  1. like a clay Bodhisattva fording a river, can't guarantee his own safety
  2. unable to save oneself, let alone others

CHARACTERS

泥 ní mud, mire; earth, clay; plaster
菩 pú herb, aromatic plant
萨 sà Buddhist gods or immortals
过 guò pass, pass through, go across
江 jiāng large river; yangzi; surname
自 zì self, private, personal; from
身 shēn body; trunk, hull; rad. no. 158
难 nán difficult, arduous, hard; unable
保 bǎo protect, safeguard, defend, care