陈谷子烂芝麻

chén gǔ zi làn zhī ma

lit. stale grain, overcooked sesame (idiom); fig. the same boring old gossip

chén

(bound form) to lay out; to exhibit; to display

valley

zi

noun suffix, as in 椅子[yi3 zi5] "chair"

làn

soft; mushy

zhī

Zoysia pungens

ma

generic name for hemp, flax etc