对症下药 duì zhèng xià yào

DEFINITIONS

  1. lit. to prescribe the right medicine for an illness (idiom); fig. to study a problem to find the right way to solve it
  2. to take appropriate steps

CHARACTERS

对 duì
HSK 1
correct, right; facing, opposed
症 zhèng
HSK 6
disease, illness, ailment
下 xià
HSK 1
under, underneath, below; down; inferior; bring down
药 yào
HSK 2
leaf of Dahurian angelica plant; medicine