Tā qióng de dīngdāng xiǎng hái lāyìngshǐ, bùkěn jiēshòu bāngzhù.
He's flat broke but still too proud to accept help.
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Earthy and slightly crude - the image is of straining to do something that doesn't come naturally. Used dismissively of someone faking aloofness. Keep it for casual conversation.
