生死攸关 (shēng sǐ yōu guān) — matter of life or death; critical moment where stakes are extremely high
Definition
A four-character idiom for a situation with extremely high stakes — literally 'life and death hinge on it.' Used for moments where failure has grave, far-reaching consequences.
noun
matter of life or deathcritical moment where stakes are extremely high
Examples
- 生死攸关，。Zhè cì shǒu shù shēng sǐ yōu guān, yī shēng men fēi cháng jǐn shèn.This surgery is a matter of life or death, so the doctors are very cautious.
- ，生死攸关。Duì zhè jiā gōng sī lái shuō, zhè bǐ tóu zī shēng sǐ yōu guān.For this company, this investment is a matter of life or death.
- 生死攸关，。Tán pàn de jié guǒ shēng sǐ yōu guān, jiāng jué dìng liǎng guó guān xì de wèi lái.The outcome of the negotiations is a matter of life or death, and will determine the future of relations between the two countries.
Appears in
Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.