奄奄一息 (yān yān yī xī) — on the verge of death (literal or figurative)
Definition
A literary idiom meaning 'on the very brink of death or collapse', with 奄奄 emphasizing the weak, fading quality of the remaining breath. Used for dying people, failing companies, or dying projects — never for routine situations.
idiom
on the verge of death (literal or figurative)
Examples
- 奄奄一息，。Nà ge bìng rén yǐ jīng yān yān yī xī, yī shēng zhèng zài qiǎng jiù.That patient is on the verge of death, and the doctor is rescuing him.
- 奄奄一息，。Zhè jiā gōng sī yǐ jīng yān yān yī xī, kuài yào dǎo bì le.This company is on its last legs and is about to go bankrupt.
- 奄奄一息，。Zhè ge xiàng mù yǐ jīng yān yān yī xī, xū yào xīn de tóu zī.This project is on the verge of collapse and needs new investment.
Appears in
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