1.
just before, on the verge of, right before
The moment immediately before something happens. Often used for dramatic or critical situations where something nearly occurred.
衝突寸前で止まった。
It stopped just before the collision.
締め切り寸前にレポートを出した。
I submitted the report just before the deadline.
会社は倒産寸前だったが、新しい投資家が現れて助かった。
The company was on the verge of bankruptcy, but a new investor appeared and saved it.
GRAMMAR:
寸前 attaches directly to nouns (Xの寸前 or X寸前) to mean "just before X" or "on the verge of X." It can also follow the dictionary form of verbs with の or する (e.g., 爆発する寸前).
COLLOCATIONS:
- 衝突寸前 — just before collision
- 倒産寸前 — on the verge of bankruptcy
- 締め切り寸前 — just before the deadline
- 崩壊寸前 — on the verge of collapse
SIMILAR WORDS:
直前 also means just before but is more neutral and commonly used for scheduled events. 寸前 has a more dramatic nuance, often implying a close call or near miss.