病入膏肓
bìng rù gāo huāng
beyond cure; past saving
Character by character
病bìng
illness
illness
入rù
enter
enter
膏gāo
heart fat
heart fat
肓huāng
diaphragm
diaphragm
Example
这家公司管理混乱、债台高筑，早已病入膏肓，谁也救不了。
With chaotic management and mountains of debt, the company was long past saving, and nobody could rescue it.
Tone: negative (criticism).
Usage and origin
From the Zuo Zhuan (《左传》): the sick Duke of Jin dreamt that his illness had become two boys hiding between 膏 and 肓, below the heart, where no needle or drug could reach. Also said of a failing firm or system. Write and say 肓 huāng, not 盲 máng (✗病入膏盲).
Learn this in Lesson 149 · HSK 7–9: 中国足球为什么难 (Why Chinese football struggles)
A dialogue, a reading, word cards with audio and a drill that uses it, in Learn Chinese with Bao. The first lessons of every level are free.
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