牡丹雖好，全仗綠葉扶持 mǔ dan suī hǎo ， quán zhàng lǜ yè fú chí

DEFINITIONS

  1. Although the peony is beautiful, it depends entirely on help from the green leaves (idiom). However brilliant you may be, you can't do anything without support from others.

CHARACTERS

牡 mǔ male of animals; bolt of door
丹 dan cinnabar (native HgS); vermilion (artificial HgS used as pigment)
雖 suī although, even if
好 hǎo
HSK 1
good, excellent, fine; well
全 quán
HSK 4
maintain, keep whole or intact
仗 zhàng
HSK 6
rely upon; protector; fight; war, weaponry
綠 lǜ green; chlorine
葉 yè leaf, petal; page of book; period
扶 fú
HSK 5
support, help; protect; hold on
持 chí
HSK 4
sustain, support; hold, grasp