During the late years of the Qin Dynasty (221－206BC), Xiang Yu led a rebellion. After crossing the Zhang River, Xiang Yu ordered his men to sink all their boats and break their cooking pots. He issued each soldier three days' rations and warned them that there was no way to retreat; the only thing they could do to survive was to advance and fight. After nine fierce battles, the Qin army was finally defeated.
The idiom is used to indicate one's firm determination to achieve one's goal at any cost.
pò fǔ chén zhōu
破釜沉舟
?????? 秦朝（公元前221—公元前206）末年，楚霸王項羽率領部隊與秦軍作戰(zhàn)。部隊渡過漳河以后，項羽命令士兵把所有的船只都毀掉沉到河底，把行軍的飯鍋全部打碎，每人只發(fā)給三天的糧食。項羽這樣做的目的，是向大家表示只能勝利前進、不能失敗后退的決心。果然，部隊經(jīng)過九次激烈的戰(zhàn)斗，終于打垮了秦軍。
?????? 這個成語比喻下定最后的決心，不顧一切干到底。
bìng rù gāo huāng
病入膏肓
The disease has attacked the vitals – beyond cure; be incurably ill
