牡丹雖好，終須綠葉扶持 mǔ dan suī hǎo ， zhōng xū 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
終 zhōng end; finally, in the end
須 xū must, have to, necessary; moment; whiskers
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