a hair's breadth from disaster; extremely critical situation
Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma
Meanings
1 sense · 5 examplesidiom
a hair's breadth from disaster; a very dangerous situation; hang by a thread
literaryUsed to describe a situation where disaster is imminent and avoidance depends on a very slight margin. '钧' is an ancient unit of weight equal to 30 catties (about 15 kilograms). Often written as 一发千钧.
Zài在
zhè这
qiān千
jūn钧
yī一
fà发
de的
shí时
kè刻
，
xiāo消
fáng防
yuán员
chōng冲
jìn进
le了
huǒ火
chǎng场
。
At this critical moment, the firefighters rushed into the fire.
Bǐ比
sài赛
jìn进
xíng行
dào到
qiān千
jūn钧
yī一
fà发
zhī之
jì际
，
tā他
tóu投
jìn进
le了
guān关
jiàn键
yī一
qiú球
。
When the game reached a critical juncture, he scored the crucial shot.
Show 3 more examplesShow fewer examples
Qíng情
kuàng况
qiān千
jūn钧
yī一
fà发
，
wǒ我
men们
bì必
xū须
lì立
kè刻
zuò做
chū出
jué决
dìng定
。
The situation is extremely critical; we must make a decision immediately.
Tā他
jí及
shí时
lā拉
zhù住
le了
hái孩
zi子
，
zhēn真
shì是
qiān千
jūn钧
yī一
fà发
。
He grabbed the child just in time; it was a hair's breadth from disaster.
Chéng成
yǔ语
“
yī一
fà发
qiān千
jūn钧
”
yě也
biǎo表
dá达
xiāng相
tóng同
de的
yì意
si思
。
The idiom 'yī fà qiān jūn' also expresses the same meaning.