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病入膏肓 (bìng rù gāo huāng) — beyond cure (of a situation or illness: extremely serious and hopeless)

Definition

A chengyu (idiom) meaning a problem has become hopelessly severe, like an illness lodged in the vital spot. Used figuratively for situations, not just literal disease — stronger and more literary than just saying 'serious'.

idiom
beyond cure (of a situation or illness: extremely serious and hopeless)

Examples

  • 病入膏肓，。
    Zhè jiā gōng sī de cái wù zhuàng kuàng yǐ jīng bìng rù gāo huāng, wú fǎ wǎn jiù le.
    This company's financial situation is already beyond cure — there's no saving it.
  • 病入膏肓，。
    Rú guǒ bìng qíng yǐ jīng bìng rù gāo huāng, yī shēng yě wú néng wéi lì.
    If the illness has already reached an incurable stage, doctors can do nothing.
  • 病入膏肓，。
    Zhè ge guó jiā de fǔ bài wèn tí bìng rù gāo huāng, xū yào chè dǐ gǎi gé.
    The corruption problem in this country is beyond cure — it needs thorough reform.

Origin

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
疒疒nèsickness
Sound part声符shēngfú
丙
丙bǐng病bìng
Same sound today

病 pairs 疒, a sickness mark, with 丙, which gives the sound; 丙 also means fire, giving a picture of lying feverishly in bed.

Open 病 →

An abstract idea shown by a mark or a diagram rather than by a picture of an object.

入 is drawn as an arrowhead, indicating 'to enter'.

Open 入 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
肉肉ròumeat
Sound part声符shēngfú
高
高gāo膏gào
Same sound today

膏 combines 高 as a sound part with 肉 (meat) as its meaning part.

Open 膏 →

No reliable origin is recorded for this character.

Appears in
Idioms & Set PhrasesIllness & Symptoms

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