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紧要关头 (jǐn yào guān tóu) — critical juncture, crucial moment

Definition

A set phrase for a 'critical juncture' — the make-or-break moment when a decision matters most. Refers to a single decisive point in time, not a period of crisis.

noun
critical juncturecrucial moment

Examples

  • 紧要关头，。
    Zài zhè ge jǐn yào guān tóu, wǒ men xū yào bǎo chí lěng jìng.
    At this critical juncture, we need to stay calm.
  • 紧要关头。
    Tā céng zài yí cì shí jiān de jǐn yào guān tóu zuò chū zhèng què jué dìng.
    He once made the right decision at a critical moment in time.
  • 紧要关头，。
    Zài nà yí gè jǐn yào guān tóu, dà jiā dōu jiān chí zhù le.
    At that critical juncture, everyone held on.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 緊; 紧 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
糸糸mì
Sound part声符shēngfú
臤
臤qiān緊jǐn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 緊 pairs 糸 (thread) with 臤 as a sound part; the simplified 紧 is a later shorthand.

Open 紧 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

要 began as a drawing of a person with both hands pointing to the waist.

Open 要 →

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 關; 关 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
門門méndoor
Sound part声符shēngfú
𢇅
𢇅𢇅關guān
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

For 关, the traditional form 關 shows 門 as a door and 𢇅 as two wooden sticks locking it, with ring-like marks on top.

Open 关 →

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 頭; 头 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
頁頁yèhead
Sound part声符shēngfú
豆
豆dòu頭tóu
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 頭 shows 頁, meaning head, beside 豆 as a sound component; the simplified 头 is a later shorthand.

Open 头 →
Appears in
Abstract ConceptsIdioms & Set Phrases

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