人是鐵飯是鋼

one can't function properly on an empty stomach (idiom) / an empty sack cannot stand upright

person; people / CL:個|个[ge4],位[wei4]

variant of 是[shi4] / (used in given names)

to be (followed by substantives only) / correct; right; true / (respectful acknowledgement of a command) very well / (adverb for emphatic assertion)

surname Tie

iron (metal) / arms / weapons / hard / strong / violent / unshakeable / determined / close / tight (slang)

cooked rice / CL:碗[wan3] / meal / CL:頓|顿[dun4] / (loanword) fan / devotee

steel