medicine and stone needles; sincere advice
Meanings
3 senses · 6 examplesnoun
medicine and stone needles
archaicRefers to ancient Chinese medical treatments, specifically herbal medicine and biānshí (砭石) stone needles used for acupuncture and lancing before the invention of metal needles.
The ancients used medicine and stone needles to cure diseases, and acupuncture to remove ailments.
This illness cannot be cured by medicine and stone needles.
noun
words of sincere advice that correct faults
literaryMetaphorical extension based on the idea that just as bitter medicine and painful stone-needle treatments cure physical ailments, harsh but sincere words can cure moral faults. Often appears in the set phrase 药石之言.
I will surely keep your words of sincere advice engraved in my heart, sir.
Although these criticisms are sincere words meant to correct faults, they sound harsh to the ear.
idiom
incurable; unresponsive to medical treatment
formalIdiom: 药石罔效 (yào shí wǎng xiào). Used to describe hopeless medical conditions or metaphorically to describe situations beyond remedy.
The patient is beyond cure; medicine has no effect.
The company's problems are too deep-rooted; they are beyond remedy now and can only go into bankruptcy liquidation.