間一髪(かんいっぱつ)

かんいっぱつ
noun, adverb
by a hair's breadth; in the nick of time
time-generalabstract
1. by a hair's breadth; in the nick of time; narrow escape
Describes a situation where something is avoided or achieved with an extremely slim margin. Often used for near-misses and last-second saves.
間一髪(かんいっぱつ)で事故(じこ)を免(まぬが)れた。
I narrowly avoided the accident.
間一髪(かんいっぱつ)のところで電車(でんしゃ)に間(ま)に合(あ)った。
I made it onto the train just in the nick of time.
落(お)ちてきた看板(かんばん)を間一髪(かんいっぱつ)で避(よ)けて、けがをせずに済(す)んだ。
I dodged the falling sign by a hair's breadth and escaped without injury.

Etymology

間(かん) (gap, interval) + 一髪(いっぱつ) (one hair). Literally "a gap of one hair," expressing an extremely narrow margin.

Usage

Often used adverbially in the pattern 間一髪(かんいっぱつ)で or 間一髪(かんいっぱつ)のところで (at the last moment, by a narrow margin).

Common collocations

Related Words

Synonym: ぎりぎり (just barely (everyday))
Compare: 危機一髪(ききいっぱつ) (close call)
Compare: 九死一生(きゅうしいっしょう) (narrow escape from death)
general
Added 2026.3.8 22:21 · Revised 2026.9.4 21:29
15500/15872_kanippatsu