like pulling hen's teeth字面意思跟拔母鸡的牙一样，引申为艰苦不堪；缘木求鱼。

【例句】
My current life is like pulling hen's teeth.
我现在的生活艰苦不堪。

It's like pulling hen's teeth to make anything grow in this poor soil.
要在这贫瘠的土地上种植作物是不可能的事。