Two days ago while on a trip to Hanzhou I found myself in need of some saline solution for my contact lenses. My friend, a native of Shanghai, helped me find my way to a store that might have what I needed.

Some of the "Chinglish" phrases were quite awkward to me as a non-Chinese reader. But one phrase stood out in particular. To paraphrase, it said that it promoted clear eyes by way of a "healthy liver".

I questioned my friend about it but she simply said it is an old expression and would elaborate. Now I'm dying to know.

Can you help me put this medical mystery to rest?

小心肝
Xiǎoxīn gān

护士看到病人在病房喝酒，就走过去小声叮嘱说：“小心肝！”病人微笑道：“小宝贝。”
Hùshi kàndào bìngrén zài bìngfáng hē jiǔ，jiù zǒu guòqu xiǎoshēng dīngzhǔ shuō：“xiǎo xīngān！”bìngrén wēixiào dào：“xiǎo bǎobèi. ”

小心肝
Xiǎoxīn gān

護士看到病人在病房喝酒，就走過去小聲叮囑說：“小心肝！”病人微笑道：“小寶貝。”
Hùshi kàndào bìngrén zài bìngfáng hē jiǔ，jiù zǒu guòqu xiǎoshēng dīngzhǔ shuō：“xiǎo xīngān！”bìngrén wēixiào dào：“xiǎo bǎobèi. ”

护士/ hùshi / nurse
病人/ bìngrén / patient
叮嘱/ dīngzhǔ / to urge repeatedly;to warn
微笑/ wēixiào / to smile
心肝/ xīngān / darling
肝 / gān / liver
宝贝/ bǎobèi / darling