良药苦口

良药苦口

Literally means:

good medicine tastes bitter

Actually means:

bitter pills have wholesome effects me ettects

Good medicine usually tastes bitter.

This phrase figuratively means kind exhortation or criticism that often grates on the ear but is conducive to correcting mistakes or guiding future acts. Abbreviated form of 良药苦口利于病，忠言逆耳利于行. (Good medicine helps cure diseases though it tastes bitter; sincere remonstrations help correct mistakes or avoid making mistakes though they sound offensive.) It is usually used to persuade people to accept criticism.

好药往往味道苦。

比喻好心的劝告或批评，听起来常常觉得不舒服，但有利于改正错误或指导今后的行动。这是“良药苦口利于病，忠言逆耳利于行”（好药吃起来虽然比较苦，但是有利于治好疾病；诚恳劝告的话听起来不顺耳，但是有利于改正或避免错误。）的压缩形式。多用于劝说人们应听得进批评的意见。