崖(がけ)っぷち

がけっぷち
noun
edge of a cliff; critical moment
informalgeography
1. edge of a cliff; brink of a precipice
The physical edge of a cliff or steep drop-off.
崖(がけ)っぷちに立(た)った。
I stood at the edge of the cliff.
崖(がけ)っぷちから下(した)を見(み)ると足(あし)がすくんだ。
When I looked down from the cliff edge, my legs froze.
子供(こども)が崖(がけ)っぷちに近(ちか)づかないように柵(さく)が設(もう)けられた。
A fence was set up so that children wouldn't approach the cliff edge.
2. critical moment; last chance; do-or-die situation
A figurative sense meaning a desperate or make-or-break situation where failure seems imminent.
チームは崖(がけ)っぷちに追(お)い込(こ)まれた。
The team was pushed to the brink.
崖(がけ)っぷちの状況(じょうきょう)で奇跡(きせき)の逆転(ぎゃくてん)を果(は)たした。
They pulled off a miraculous comeback in a do-or-die situation.
会社(かいしゃ)は経営(けいえい)の崖(がけ)っぷちに立(た)たされていたが、新(あたら)しい投資家(とうしか)のおかげで持(も)ち直(なお)した。
The company was on the brink of collapse, but recovered thanks to a new investor.

崖(がけ)っぷち literally means the edge (淵(ふち)) of a cliff (崖(がけ)). The っぷち is a colloquial contraction of ぶち, from 淵(ふち).

The figurative sense is far more common in everyday use, describing desperate situations where one is about to fail or lose everything.

Common collocations

Similar words

  • 瀬戸際(せとぎわ): critical moment, turning point — more formal, used in serious contexts like diplomacy or life-and-death matters
  • 土壇場(どたんば): the last moment — emphasizes being at the very end with no more time

Related Words

Synonym: 瀬戸際(せとぎわ) (critical moment, formal)
Synonym: 土壇場(どたんば) (last moment)
general
Added 2026.3.12 11:25 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:01
16000/16343_gakeppuchi