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对症下药 (duì zhèng-xià yào) — (idiom) to take targeted measures; to solve a problem by addressing its root cause

Definition

A chengyu meaning to tailor your response to the specific problem — diagnose first, then act. Implies a thoughtful, customized solution rather than a one-size-fits-all fix.

idiom
to take targeted measuresto solve a problem by addressing its root cause

Examples

  • 对症下药，。
    Lǎo shī duì měi gè xué shēng duì zhèng-xià yào, bāng zhù tā men kè fú bù tóng de kùn nan.
    The teacher takes targeted measures for each student, helping them overcome different difficulties.
  • 对症下药，。
    Jiě jué zhè ge jì shù wèn tí xū yào duì zhèng-xià yào, bù néng máng mù cháng shì.
    Solving this technical problem requires a targeted approach, not blind trial and error.
  • 对症下药，。
    Gōng sī zhēn duì shì chǎng biàn huà duì zhèng-xià yào, xùn sù tiáo zhěng le chǎn pǐn cè lüè.
    The company took targeted measures in response to market changes and quickly adjusted its product strategy.

Origin

Characters in this word

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 對; 对 is its simplified writing.

For the traditional form 對, the shape comes from an early drawing of 丵 (a digging tool), 土 (earth), and 又 (a hand); it may have meant developing land.

Open 对 →

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nèdisease
Sound part声符shēngfú
正
正zhèng症zhèng
Same sound today

The left part 疒 shows it is about disease. The right part 正 is used for the sound.

Open 症 →

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

下 is drawn as a short horizontal line below a long curved line.

Open 下 →

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 藥; 药 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
艹Written in full as艸cǎograss
Sound part声符shēngfú
樂
樂lè藥yào
Same sound today

In the traditional form 藥, 艹 shows grass and 樂 gives the sound; this story is about 藥, not about the simplified 药.

Open 药 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9

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