病入膏肓

Traditional form:

病入膏肓

Pinyin (reading):

bìngrùgāohuāng

Definitions:

• lit. the disease has attacked the vitals (idiom); fig. beyond cure
• the situation is hopeless

Characters:

• 病 - sickness, illness, disease
• 入 - to enter, to come in; to join
• 膏 - grease, fat; ointment, paste
• 肓 - abdominal cavity; the area between the heart and diaphragm

Traditional characters:

• 病 - sickness, illness, disease
• 入 - to enter, to come in; to join
• 膏 - grease, fat; ointment, paste
• 肓 - abdominal cavity; the area between the heart and diaphragm