危機一髪(ききいっぱつ)

ききいっぱつ
noun, expression
close call; narrow escape; by a hair's breadth
idiomdescriptive
1. close call; narrow escape; critical moment
A dangerous situation where disaster was barely avoided.
危機一髪(ききいっぱつ)のところで事故(じこ)を免(まぬか)れた。
We narrowly escaped the accident.
電車(でんしゃ)に危機一髪(ききいっぱつ)で間(ま)に合(あ)った。
I made the train by a hair's breadth.
危機一髪(ききいっぱつ)で落下物(らっかぶつ)を避(よ)けた。
I dodged the falling object just in time.

Etymology

危機(きき) (crisis) + 一髪(いっぱつ) (one hair)
Literal: "crisis of one hair" - the margin was as thin as a single hair

Common collocations

Similar words

Related Words

Related: 一触即発(いっしょくそくはつ) (explosive situation)
Related: 絶体絶命(ぜったいぜつめい) (desperate situation)
Synonym: 九死(きゅうし)に一生(いっしょう) (narrow escape from death)
Compare: 間一髪(かんいっぱつ) (very close in meaning)
Compare: 九死一生(きゅうしいっしょう) (narrow escape from death)
general
Added 2026.1.18 21:03 · Revised 2026.10.11 16:18
06500/06949_kikiippatsu