死马当活马医 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
马 mǎ
HSK 3
horse; surname; KangXi radical 187
当 dàng
HSK 3
bear, accept, undertake; just
活 huó
HSK 4
live, exist, survive; lively
马 mǎ
HSK 3
horse; surname; KangXi radical 187
医 yī
HSK 1
cure, heal; doctor, medical