死馬當活馬醫 sǐ mǎ dàng huó mǎ yī

DEFINITIONS

  1. lit. to give medicine to a dead horse (idiom)
  2. fig. to keep trying everything in a desperate situation

CHARACTERS

死 sǐ
HSK 4
die; dead; death
馬 mǎ horse; surname; KangXi radical 187
當 dàng bear, accept, undertake; just
活 huó
HSK 4
live, exist, survive; lively
馬 mǎ horse; surname; KangXi radical 187
醫 yī cure, heal; doctor, medical