Zuò zhè zhǒng gōngzuò yào mànman lái, xīn jí chī bù liǎo rè dòufu.
This kind of work has to be done slowly — you can't rush hot tofu.
Tips
memory
Picture it literally: tofu fresh out of the pot is scorching. If you grab a hot piece and shove it in your mouth, you'll burn your tongue and have to spit it out. Patience pays. The image is vivid and specifically Chinese — tofu cooks fast and stays hot inside.
usage
Common everyday saying, no fixed classical source. Use to gently slow someone down — a coworker, a child, a partner who keeps refreshing for results. Less formal than 欲速则不达 (yùsùzébùdá), which says the same thing in classical register.
