病入膏肓

公疾病，求醫於秦，秦伯使醫緩為之。未至，公夢疾為二豎子，曰：「彼良醫也，懼傷我焉逃之？」其一曰：「居肓之上、膏之下，若我何？」醫至，曰：「疾不可為也，在肓之上，膏之下，攻之不可，達之不及，藥不至焉，不可為也。」公曰：「良醫也。」厚為之禮而歸之。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]

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公疾病，求医于秦，秦伯使医缓为之。未至，公梦疾为二竖子，曰：「彼良医也，惧伤我焉逃之？」其一曰：「居肓之上、膏之下，若我何？」医至，曰：「疾不可为也，在肓之上，膏之下，攻之不可，达之不及，药不至焉，不可为也。」公曰：「良医也。」厚为之礼而归之。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

From: Commentary of Zuo, c. 4^th century BCE

Gōng jíbìng, qiúyī yú qín, qín bó shǐ yī huǎn wèi zhī. Wèi zhì, gōng mèng jí wèi èr shùzǐ, yuē: “Bǐ liáng yī yě, jù shāng wǒ yān táo zhī?” Qí yī yuē: “Jū huāng zhī shàng, gāo zhī xià, ruò wǒ hé?” Yī zhì, yuē: “Jí bùkě wèi yě, zài huāng zhī shàng, gāo zhī xià, gōng zhī bù kě, dá zhī bù jí, yào bù zhì yān, bùkě wèi yě.” Gōng yuē: “Liáng yī yě.” Hòu wèi zhī lǐ ér guī zhī. [Pinyin]

Duke Jing of Jin was sick. He tried to find a doctor in Qin. The Count of Qin (Duke Huan of Qin) sent a doctor called Huan to cure him. Before Doctor Huan arrived, Duke Jing had a dream in which his disease appeared as two children. One of them said, "He's a good doctor. I'm afraid that he will harm us. Where should we hide ourselves?" The other said, "Let's go to the fat region between the heart and the diaphragm. Then he can't get rid of us." When Doctor Huan arrived, he said, "This disease can't be cured. It's at the fat region between the heart and the diaphragm. Neither medicine nor acupuncture would be effective, so it can't be cured." Duke Jing replied, "You're a good doctor". He then offered generous gifts to Doctor Huan and saw him out.

病入膏肓

1. to be incurable as one is critically ill

   有病就要及早求醫，不要等到病入膏肓。 [MSC, trad.]
   有病就要及早求医，不要等到病入膏肓。 [MSC, simp.]

   Yǒu bìng jiù yào jízǎo qiúyī, bùyào děng dào bìngrùgāohuāng. [Pinyin]

   Seek medical care if you have symptoms, don't wait until it's too late to cure.

2. (figuratively) to be hopeless as the situation has gone too bad

   這家公司的財政狀況已經病入膏肓。 [MSC, trad.]
   这家公司的财政状况已经病入膏肓。 [MSC, simp.]

   Zhè jiā gōngsī de cáizhèng zhuàngkuàng yǐjīng bìngrùgāohuāng. [Pinyin]

   The financial situation of this company is hopeless.

• 不可救藥／不可救药 (bùkějiùyào)