"you cannot make a silk purse out of a sow's ear" in Chinese (Simplified)
Definition
意思是：用劣质的材料，无法做出好的东西。说明有些事情再努力也无法改变本质。
Usage Notes (Chinese (Simplified))
这是一个正式或书面语中常用的俗语。强调再有能力也无法用烂材料做出好东西。类似表达有“巧妇难为无米之炊”。
Examples
You cannot make a silk purse out of a sow's ear if you use cheap materials.
如果用廉价材料，**巧妇难为无米之炊（劣质材料做不出好东西）**。
No matter how hard you try, you cannot make a silk purse out of a sow's ear.
再怎么努力，**劣质材料做不出好东西（巧妇难为无米之炊）**。
The project failed because you cannot make a silk purse out of a sow's ear.
项目失败了，因为**巧妇难为无米之炊（劣质材料做不出好东西）**。
We did our best, but you cannot make a silk purse out of a sow's ear.
我们已经尽力了，但**劣质材料做不出好东西（巧妇难为无米之炊）**。
That old car looks nicer, but you cannot make a silk purse out of a sow's ear.
那辆破车看起来好点了，但**劣质材料做不出好东西（巧妇难为无米之炊）**。
People expect perfection, but sometimes you cannot make a silk purse out of a sow's ear.
人们期待完美，但有时候**劣质材料做不出好东西（巧妇难为无米之炊）**。