also: こうもう
noun
innermost part of the body; vital region beyond medical reach
Classical term from Chinese medicine, referring to the deep interior of the body where disease becomes untreatable. Now mostly encountered in the set phrase 病膏肓に入る (やまいこうこうにいる), meaning 'the disease has reached a critical, incurable stage'.
See also: 病膏肓に入る (やまいこうこうにいる)
「病膏肓に入る」という表現は、病気が治らないほど深くなった状態を指す。
The expression 病膏肓に入る refers to a state where an illness has become so deep that it cannot be cured.
Irregular reading for the same kanji form; less common than こうこう.
This is the idiomatic phrase in which 膏肓 commonly appears; it means 'the disease has reached a critical, incurable stage'.
From Chinese 膏肓 (gāohuāng), a term in traditional Chinese medicine referring to the region between the heart and diaphragm, considered the deepest part of the body and beyond the reach of acupuncture or medicine.