七年之病，求三年之艾
qī​nián​zhī​bìng​qiú​sān​nián​zhī'ài

to seek a late cure

  1. 七 qī numeral
    seven
    seven; 7; (banker's numeral) 柒 qī
  2. 年 nián noun
    year
    a year or the duration of a year; also used to describe annual or yearly occurrences
  3. 之 zhī particle
    [possessive]
    Connects a describing word or phrase to the noun it describes, similar to 的 de but used in formal or literary writing.
  4. 病 bìng noun
    illness
    illness; disease; physical or mental sickness
  5. ， qiú
    non-Chinese
  6. 求 qiú verb
    to seek
    to look for or try to obtain something; to strive for
  7. 三 sān numeral
    three
    the number three; 3
  8. 年 nián noun
    year
    a year or the duration of a year; also used to describe annual or yearly occurrences
  9. 之 zhī particle
    [possessive]
    Connects a describing word or phrase to the noun it describes, similar to 的 de but used in formal or literary writing.
  10. 艾 ài
    mugwort
    Chinese mugwort or wormwood; moxa; used in traditional medicine and during the Dragon Boat Festival