治大国若烹小鲜

zhì dà guó ruò pēng xiǎo xiān

ruling a large nation is like cooking a small delicacy (idiom)

effective government requires minimal intervention

治

zhì

to rule

大

dà

big; large; great

国

guó

country; nation; state

若

ruò

to seem

烹

pēng

to boil; to brew (tea)

小

xiǎo

small

鲜

xiān

fresh