濒临

瀕臨

bīnlín

verb #11,305

Meanings

HSK 4

这家公司濒临破产。

Zhèjiā gōngsī bīnlín pòchǎn.

This company is on the brink of bankruptcy.

HSK 7-9

大熊猫曾经濒临灭绝。

Dàxióngmāo céngjīng bīnlín mièjué.

Giant pandas were once on the verge of extinction.

usage

濒临 almost always precedes something negative: 濒临灭绝 (extinction), 濒临破产 (bankruptcy), 濒临崩溃 (collapse). It implies being dangerously close.

memory

Water's edge (濒) + to approach (临) = standing at the water's edge, about to fall in. On the very brink.

濒 bīn

临 lín