刮骨疗毒
刮骨疗毒 (guā gǔ liáo dú) literally means “scrape bone to cure poison” and expresses “radical problem-solving”. This idiom is used when describing situations involving success and perseverance.
Also searched as: gua gu liao du, gua gu liao du,刮骨疗毒 meaning, 刮骨疗毒 in english
Radical problem-solving
Pronunciation: guā gǔ liáo dú Literal meaning: Scrape bone to cure poison
Origin & Usage
The Records of the Three Kingdoms says that Guan Yu, hit by a poisoned arrow, was told the poison had reached the bone and that the arm must be opened and the bone scraped (刮骨) to cure (疗) the poison (毒). He held out his arm and went on eating and drinking with his officers while the surgeon worked, with the blood filling the dish beneath. The history does not name the doctor — Hua Tuo is the novel's addition. The phrase means treating a problem at its source, accepting that the cure will be worse than living with it.
Examples
English: "He had to scrape bones to cure the poison of his past mistakes."
Chinese: 他不得不刮骨疗毒，以治愈过去错误的毒害。
Related Chinese Idioms
Similar idioms about success & perseverance
刮目相看
guā mù xiāng kàn
Reassess someone who has improved
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龙腾虎跃
lóng téng hǔ yuè
A scene of vigorous activity
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骨瘦如柴
gǔ shòu rú chái
Extremely thin
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冰消瓦解
bīng xiāo wǎ jiě
Complete collapse
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如鱼得水
rú yú dé shuǐ
In perfect element
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负重致远
fù zhòng zhì yuǎn
Able to carry great responsibility
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刻骨铭心
kè gǔ míng xīn
Deeply and permanently affected
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骨肉相连
gǔ ròu xiāng lián
Inseparable family bond
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does 刮骨疗毒 mean in English?
刮骨疗毒 (guā gǔ liáo dú) literally translates to “Scrape bone to cure poison” and is used to express “Radical problem-solving”. This Chinese idiom belongs to the Success & Perseverance category.
When is 刮骨疗毒 used?
Situation: He had to scrape bones to cure the poison of his past mistakes.
What is the pinyin for 刮骨疗毒?
The pinyin pronunciation for 刮骨疗毒 is “guā gǔ liáo dú”.