巧婦難為無米之炊 [ㄑㄧㄠˇ ㄈㄨˋ ㄋㄢˊ ㄨㄟˊ ㄨˊ ㄇㄧˇ ㄓ ㄔㄨㄟ; qiao3 fu4 nan2 wei2 wu2 mi3 zhi1 chui1] The cleverest housewife cannot cook without rice (idiom); You won't get anywhere without equipment. ◄ ►