摇摇欲坠

搖搖欲墜

yáoyáo-yùzhuì

idiom HSK 7-9 #19,303

Meanings

HSK 2

那座老房子已经摇摇欲坠了。

Nà zuò lǎo fángzi yǐjīng yáoyáo-yùzhuì le.

That old house is already on the verge of collapsing.

HSK 7-9

公司的财务状况摇摇欲坠。

Gōngsī de cáiwù zhuàngkuàng yáoyáo-yùzhuì.

The company's financial situation is precarious.

memory

Picture something shaking-shaking (摇摇) and about-to (欲) fall (坠) - like a building swaying in an earthquake, ready to come down.

usage

Used both literally (a structure about to collapse) and figuratively (a regime, business, or relationship on the brink of failure).

摇 yáo

欲 yù

坠 zhuì