survive extreme danger; narrow escape
Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma
Meanings
1 sense · 4 examplesidiom
survive extreme danger; narrow escape; a close brush with death
formalLiterally 'nine deaths, one life' (i.e., a 10% chance of survival). Used to describe a situation where death was highly likely but one managed to survive. It implies the danger was extreme and the survival was miraculous or very fortunate.
Tā他
zài在
nà那
chǎng场
kōng空
nàn难
zhōng中
jiǔ九
sǐ死
yī一
shēng生
，
shì是
shǎo少
shù数
xìng幸
cún存
zhě者
zhī之
yī一
。
He had a narrow escape in that plane crash and was one of the few survivors.
Zhè这
cì次
shǒu手
shù术
fēi非
cháng常
fù复
zá杂
，
tā他
néng能
chéng成
gōng功
kě可
yǐ以
shuō说
shì是
jiǔ九
sǐ死
yī一
shēng生
。
This surgery was extremely complex; his successful recovery can be described as a miracle.
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Zhàn战
zhēng争
nián年
dài代
，
xǔ许
duō多
zhàn战
shì士
dōu都
jīng经
lì历
guò过
jiǔ九
sǐ死
yī一
shēng生
de的
kǎo考
yàn验
。
During the war years, many soldiers experienced life-or-death trials.
Zhè这
chǎng场
sēn森
lín林
dà大
huǒ火
yì异
cháng常
měng猛
liè烈
，
tā他
néng能
táo逃
chū出
lái来
zhēn真
shì是
jiǔ九
sǐ死
yī一
shēng生
。
The forest fire was extraordinarily fierce; his escape was truly a narrow brush with death.