諺語 · a single proverb
千鈞一髮
Simplified: 千钧一发
What does 千鈞一髮 (qiān jūn yī fà) mean?
千鈞一髮 (qiān jūn yī fà) is a four-character classical idiom (chéngyǔ 成語). Word for word it reads "a thousand jun hanging by a single hair." In use it means: An extremely dangerous moment. Everything depends on the thinnest thread. You reach for it when you want that idea in one breath, and the Metal note it carries is why we hand it to those born in the Year of the Tiger.
Literally: "a thousand jun hanging by a single hair."
The reading
A jun is thirty pounds. A thousand of them hanging from one strand of hair. The image is so absurd it is perfect. That is how some situations feel: the weight is real, the thread is real, and you are the one holding the hair. The lesson is not about the weight. It is about respecting the thread.
What kind of proverb it is
Source Han Shu 漢書 (枚乘傳); ancient idiom
Sits beside
Keep reading
Return to the Proverb Pond to draw another of the eighty-seven, or hear one read aloud. Read the rest of its chapter in Adversity & Resilience, or follow the years these lines belong to: Year of the Tiger, Year of the Rat, and Year of the Ox.
Questions
Is 千鈞一髮 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 千鈞一髮 (qiān jūn yī fà) is a four-character classical idiom (chéngyǔ 成語), and it comes from Han Shu 漢書 (枚乘傳); ancient idiom. It is living Chinese heritage, given here with per-character pinyin and its source so you can trust the line, not a phrase invented in English.
How do you pronounce 千鈞一髮?
In Mandarin it is qiān jūn yī fà. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 千鈞一髮 aloud in Mandarin.