千钧一发

qiān jūn yī fà

HSK 3.0 Level 7 Rare

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Definitions

1. a thousand pounds hangs by a thread (idiom)
2. imminent peril
3. a matter of life or death

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Word relationships

Antonyms

1 item

• 化险为夷 huà xiǎn wéi yí 化险为夷 huà xiǎn wéi yí to turn peril into safety (idiom); to avert disaster 从危险转为平安: to turn peril into safety (idiom); to avert disaster

Related words

1 item

• 危如累卵 wēi rú lěi luǎn 危如累卵 wēi rú lěi luǎn precarious as pile of eggs (idiom); ready to fall and break at any moment 比喻形势极其危险: precarious as pile of eggs (idiom); ready to fall and break at any moment

Synonyms

2 items

• 岌岌可危 jí jí kě wēi 岌岌可危 jí jí kě wēi imminent danger (idiom); approaching a crisis 形容形势非常危急: imminent danger (idiom); approaching a crisis
• 危在旦夕 wēi zài dàn xī 危在旦夕 wēi zài dàn xī in imminent peril (idiom) 危险就在眼前: in imminent peril (idiom)

Usage notes

Common mistakes

Do not confuse 千钧一发 (critical moment) with 一发千钧, which has the same meaning but is less common; use the standard form.

Formality

千钧一发 is a formal idiom, typically used in written or serious contexts to describe extremely dangerous situations.

Example Sentences

1 shown

在 千钧一发 的时刻，他救了那个孩子。

At the critical moment, he saved the child.

AI-generated examples are marked with this icon.

Child Words of 千钧一发

• 一 一 yī: one
• 千 千 qiān: thousand
• 发 发 fā: to send out
• 发 发 fà: hair
• 钧 钧 jūn: 30 catties