S5E02 | It’s Too Late Baby | 病入膏肓
Saying: “Disease has spread to the vital organs”
Pinyin: Bìng Rù Gāo Huāng
Chinese: 病入膏肓
Another good one for you today from the golden age of chengyu's, The Warring States Period. This Chinese Sayings is taken from the Zuo Zhuan 左转 and concerns Duke Jing of the powerful State of Jin 晋景公. This gruesome story of revenge and deceit gave us the chengyu 病入膏肓. Bìng Rù Gāo Huāng.
When any kind of situation reaches this Bìng Rù Gāo Huāng condition, it's hopeless. There's nothing that can be done. It's too late baby!
Don't forget, the Chinese terms from CSP episodes are all listed for you down below.
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Terms in Episode
Pinyin/Term | Chinese | English/Meaning |
---|---|---|
Chéngyǔ | 成语 | A Chinese Saying or Idiom |
Sīmǎ Huī | 司马徽 | Early 3rd century hermit in Sichuan. Had a reputation as a good spotter of talent. He is the Hao Hao Xiansheng |
Hǎo Hǎo Xiānshēng | 好好先生 | Mr. Good-Good, someone who never disagrees about anything and trying to walk the middle road |
Zhou Dynasty | 周朝 | Dynasty founded in 1046 BC, lasting to 256 BC. |
State of Jìn | 晋国 | The State of Jin, one of the major states during the Warring States Period |
Shānxī | 山西 | Province in north central China |
Duke Jǐng | 晋景公 | Ruler of Jin State 599-581 BC |
Hán, Zhào and Wèi. | 汉,赵,魏 | The three states created after the Partition of Jin State in 468 BC (approximately) |
Zuǒ Qiūmíng | 左丘明 | 556-451 BC, Chinese historian during late Spring and Autumn Period. Writer of the Zuo Zhuan, or "Commentary of Zuo" |
Zuǒ Zhuàn | 左转 | One of the official Chinese histories that is regarded as a commentary on the Spring and Autumn Annals (Chunqiu 春秋). |
Chéng Gōng Shínián | 成公十年 | The chapter in the Zuo Zhuan where the story behind 病入膏肓 can be found |
Bìng | 病 | Sickness, disease |
Rù | 入 | To enter |
Gāo | 膏 | the vital organs of the body |
Huāng | 肓 | in Chinese medicine is the part of the body between the heart and the diaphragm |
Bìngrù Gāohuāng | 病入膏肓 | The disease has entered that part of the body that is incurable |
gùshi | 故事 | a story |
Zhào | 赵 | The surname Zhao |
Zhào Tóng | 赵同 | A loyal military official of Jin, murdered in 583 BC |
Zhào Kuò | 赵括 | Another loyal official of Jin, surnamed Zhào who was murdered in 583 BC on Duke Jin's orders |
Wū | 巫 | A witch or shaman |
Qín | 秦朝 | The Qin Dynasty 221 to 206 BC |
Jìn Jǐng Gōng | 晋景公 | Ruler of Jin State 599-581 BC |