"magic bullet"的定义和意义

Magic bullet

名词

神奇子弹, 灵丹妙药

a drug or treatment that effectively prevents or cures a specific disease or condition with minimal or no harmful side effects

Idiom

What is the origin of the idiom "magic bullet" and when to use it?

The idiom "magic bullet" originated from the early 20th century when the German scientist and physician Paul Ehrlich created the phrase to describe his concept of an ideal drug or substance that could specifically target and cure diseases without harming the rest of the body. The term became popular with Ehrlich's development of Salvarsan, a drug used to treat syphilis, which was one of the earliest examples of a targeted therapeutic substance. Over time, the phrase "magic bullet" came to refer more broadly to any drug, treatment, or therapy that specifically targets a disease or condition without causing harm to healthy tissues.

Example

Aspirin is often seen as a magic bullet, quickly easing common pain.

阿司匹林常被视为神奇子弹，快速缓解常见疼痛。

Researchers are developing a gene therapy that could be a magic bullet for treating inherited disorders like cystic fibrosis.

研究人员正在开发一种基因治疗，可能成为治疗遗传性疾病如囊性纤维化的灵丹妙药。

灵丹妙药, 快速解决方案

a quick and perfect solution to a difficult problem

Idiom

What is the origin of the idiom "magic bullet" and when to use it?

The idiom "magic bullet" originated from the early 1900s when the German scientist Paul Ehrlich was searching for a perfect drug that could selectively target and destroy disease-causing substances without harming the rest of the body. Over time, the phrase evolved to describe a solution that quickly and effectively resolves a difficult problem, typically in a way that seems almost too good to be true. Today, it is often used to warn someone against unrealistic expectations of simple fixes for difficult issues.

Example

There is no magic bullet for solving world hunger.

解决世界饥饿没有灵丹妙药。

The software update was n't the magic bullet for all our technical issues.

软件更新并不是我们所有技术问题的灵丹妙药。,软件更新并不是快速解决方案，无法解决我们所有的技术问题。