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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.

Origin

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
盍盍hé
Sound part声符shēngfú
甲
甲jiǎ奄yǎn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

In 奄, 盍 supplies the covering sense and 甲 supplies the sound.

Open 奄 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
盍盍hé
Sound part声符shēngfú
甲
甲jiǎ奄yǎn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

In 奄, 盍 supplies the covering sense and 甲 supplies the sound.

Open 奄 →

An abstract idea shown by a mark or a diagram rather than by a picture of an object.

一 is drawn as one horizontal stroke, marking the number one.

Open 一 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

In 息, 自 is nose and 心 is heart, showing breath or life passing through one's nose.

Open 息 →
Appears in
Idioms & Set PhrasesIllness & Symptoms

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