Definition
This is a four-character idiom (成语) that literally means 'danger between morning and evening'. It describes a situation where disaster or death is imminent — someone is near death, a company is about to collapse, or a crisis is about to strike. Use it to express that the outcome will be decided very soon, usually in a life-or-death context.
f.e.
in imminent dangeron the verge of death or disaster
Examples
- 危在旦夕，。Bìngrén de shēngmìng wēi zài dàn xī, yīshēng zhèngzài quánlì qiǎngjiù.The patient's life is in imminent danger; the doctors are doing everything they can to save him.
- 危在旦夕，。Zhè jiā gōngsī wēi zài dàn xī, rúguǒ bù mǎshàng róngzī jiù huì dǎobì.This company is on the verge of collapse; if it doesn't get funding right away it will go bankrupt.
- 危在旦夕，。Nà shí guójiā wēi zài dàn xī, quánguó rénmín tuánjié yízhì.At that time the country was in imminent danger, and the whole nation united as one.
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