病入膏肓 incurable disease
Explanation
这个成语比喻病情严重到无法医治的地步,也用来比喻事情发展到不可挽回的地步。
This idiom is used to describe a situation where the condition is so severe that it is beyond medical treatment. It is also used to describe a situation that is irreversible.
Origin Story
春秋时期,晋景公得了重病,请来名医扁鹊诊治。扁鹊诊脉后说:"大王您的病已经病入膏肓,即使神仙也救不了您了。"晋景公不信,认为扁鹊是故意吓唬他。结果,不久后,晋景公就去世了。这个故事告诉我们,面对问题要及时处理,切不可等到病入膏肓才后悔莫及。 晋景公死后,他的儿子晋厉公继位。晋厉公为人残暴,苛待百姓。大臣们多次劝谏,但他都充耳不闻。厉公执政期间,国家动荡不安,民不聊生。最终,厉公被杀,他的统治也走向了终结。 晋厉公的故事也警示我们:为政者要以民为本,善待百姓,否则,最终将会自食恶果。 这两个故事都体现了"病入膏肓"的含义,一个是描述疾病,另一个则比喻政治上的失败。
During the Spring and Autumn Period, the ruler of Jin, Jin Jinggong, fell seriously ill. He invited the famous doctor Bian Que to treat him. After checking his pulse, Bian Que said: "Your Majesty, your illness has reached the point of no return, even a god cannot save you." Jin Jinggong did not believe him, thinking that Bian Que was deliberately scaring him. As a result, Jin Jinggong passed away shortly afterwards. This story tells us that we should deal with problems promptly, and not wait until it's too late to regret it. After Jin Jinggong's death, his son, Jin Ligong, succeeded him. Jin Ligong was cruel and treated the people badly. The ministers repeatedly advised him, but he turned a deaf ear to them. During Ligong's reign, the country was in turmoil and the people suffered. Eventually, Ligong was killed and his rule came to an end. The story of Jin Ligong also warns us: rulers should put the people first, treat the people well, otherwise they will eventually suffer the consequences. These two stories reflect the meaning of "the illness has reached the point of no return", one describes illness, the other metaphorically describes political failure.
Usage
常用作谓语、定语,形容病情严重或事情到了不可挽回的地步。
It is often used as a predicate or attributive to describe the severity of a disease or a situation that is irreversible.
Examples
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他的病已经病入膏肓,无力回天了。
tā de bìng yǐjīng bìng rù gāo huāng, wú lì huítiān le
His illness has become incurable.
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这个项目的问题已经病入膏肓,必须放弃。
zhège xiàngmù de wèntí yǐjīng bìng rù gāo huāng, bìxū fàngqì
The problems of this project are incurable and must be abandoned.