📖 Meaning
A miraculous pill that cures all kinds of illnesses. Metaphorically, a single remedy or method believed capable of solving all kinds of difficult problems.
📜 Origin Story
This idiom has no single definitive literary source; it evolved organically from traditional Chinese medicine vocabulary. The term 万应 means 'effective in all cases,' while 灵丹 refers to a miraculous elixir or pill believed to possess supernatural curative powers. The combination describes a mythical medicine capable of curing any ailment. Over time it became a metaphor for any single solution claimed to solve every problem, and is often used with skepticism.
💡 Example Usage
世上没有万应灵丹，每个问题都需要具体分析。
There is no cure-all in the world; every problem requires specific analysis.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 万应灵丹
- Pinyin: wàn yìng líng dān
- Literal Translation: ten thousand, respond, miraculous, pill
- Category: Method
- Characters: 4