Bìng rù gāohuāng, bù kě jiù yào.*

病入膏肓, 不可救藥。

Lit [One who is] sick to the core can't be cured [by any] medicine.

Fig When things come to a certain stage, there's nothing anyone can do to save the situation (literally, or sometimes referring to corruption).

Note [Cf. Zuǒ Zhuàn: Chén Gōng 10 Nián; note: gāo refers to the tip of the heart; huāng is the diaphragm; bìng rú gāohuāng, “sick to the core,” is used alone as a chengyu meaning “beyond cure.”]

Topics Chén Gōng 10 Nián chengyu CORRUPTION gāo huáng ILLNESS Zuǒ_Zhuàn