工字不出头

工字不出頭
gōngzìbùchūtóu

One cannot be successful in life by being a worker

Wiktionary

Entry Composition

1 工 gōng
  1. work
  2. worker
  3. skill
  4. profession
  5. trade
  6. craft
  7. labor
2 字 zì
  1. letter
  2. symbol
  3. character
  4. word
  5. courtesy or style name traditionally given to males aged 20 in dynastic China

classifier: 個
3 不出 bùchū to not exceed; to not surpass
=4 头 tóu
  1. head
  2. hair style
  3. the top
  4. end
  5. beginning or end
  6. a stub
  7. remnant
  8. chief
  9. boss
  10. side
  11. aspect
  12. first
  13. leading
  14. classifier for pigs or livestock

classifier: 個
=4 头 tou suffix for nouns