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节骨眼 (jiē gǔ yǎn) — critical moment; crucial juncture; the decisive point on which things turn

Definition

Idiom for the 'critical moment' when a decision or outcome turns — often used with 上 or 到. Stresses the make-or-break instant, not the situation itself.

noun
critical momentcrucial juncturethe decisive point on which things turn

Examples

  • 节骨眼，。
    Zài zhè ge jiē gǔ yǎn shàng, nǐ bù néng fàng qì.
    At this critical moment, you can't give up.
  • 节骨眼，。
    Shì qing dào le jiē gǔ yǎn, yí dìng yào lěng jìng.
    When things come to the crucial point, you must stay calm.
  • 节骨眼。
    Tā zǒng zài guān jiàn jiē gǔ yǎn shàng fàn cuò.
    He always makes mistakes at the key juncture.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

节骨joints and bones
节jiéjoint骨gǔbone
联合Coordinate
眼yǎnopening

节骨 suggests joints and bones, and 眼 suggests an opening, together forming a critical juncture.

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 節; 节 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
⺮Written in full as竹zhúbamboo
Sound part声符shēngfú
即
即jí節jié
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 節 pairs ⺮ (bamboo) with 即, which gives the sound; the bamboo part points to a node of bamboo. The simplified 节 is a later abbreviation.

Open 节 →

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
肉肉ròu
Sound part声符shēngfú
冎
冎guǎ骨gǔ
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The older form 冎 drew a bone; 肉, flesh, was added to make 骨.

Open 骨 →

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
目目mùeye
Sound part声符shēngfú
艮
艮gèn眼yǎn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

眼 combines 目, which is an eye, with 艮, which gives the character's sound.

Open 眼 →
Appears in
Time (Abstract)

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