1.
to be on the verge of, to be close to
To be at the point of reaching a critical or extreme state, almost always negative. Typically used with に to indicate what one is on the brink of.
その種は絶滅に瀕している。
That species is on the verge of extinction.
会社は倒産に瀕し、従業員は不安を感じていた。
The company was on the verge of bankruptcy, and the employees felt uneasy.
戦争で国は崩壊に瀕していたが、外交努力によって危機を乗り越えた。
The country was on the brink of collapse due to war, but overcame the crisis through diplomatic efforts.
TRANSITIVITY:
Intransitive (自動詞). No transitive pair.
PARTICLE PATTERN:
～に瀕する is the standard pattern. The に marks the state one is approaching.
ASPECT (ている):
瀕している is the most common form, indicating a current state of being on the verge of something.
REGISTER:
Formal and literary. Used in news, academic writing, and formal speech. Not used in casual conversation. The most common collocation 絶滅に瀕する has become a fixed expression.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 絶滅に瀕する: to be on the verge of extinction
- 死に瀕する: to be on the verge of death
- 崩壊に瀕する: to be on the brink of collapse
- 破滅に瀕する: to be on the verge of ruin