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，楚霸王项羽率领部队与秦军作战。部队渡过漳河以后，项羽命令士兵把所有的船只都毁掉沉到河底，把行军的饭锅全部打碎，每人只发给三天的粮食。项羽这样做的目的，是向大家表示只能胜利前进、不能失败后退的决心。果然，部队经过九次激烈的战斗，终于打垮了秦军。
这个成语比喻下定最后的决心，不顾一切干到底。
bìng rù gāo huāng
病入膏肓
The disease has attacked the vitals – beyond cure; be incurably ill
