燃眉之急

ránméizhījí
idiom #55,819

Meanings

  1. 1 a pressing emergency
  2. 2 a matter as urgent as fire burning the eyebrows
  3. 3 an extremely urgent need

Examples

HSK 6
Zhè bǐ juānkuǎn jiějué le zāiqū de ránméizhījí.
This donation solved the disaster area's most pressing emergency.
HSK 7-9
Gōngsī jíxū zījīn, yǐ jiě ránméizhījí.
The company urgently needs funds to relieve the pressing emergency.

Tips

history
From the Song-era 《五灯会元》: a Chan monk was asked 「如何是急切一句?」 (what is the most urgent single phrase?) and answered 「火烧眉毛」 ('fire burning the eyebrows'). 燃眉之急 condenses this into a noun.
usage
Always a noun, almost always the object of (to relieve) or (to rescue): 解燃眉之急 ('to relieve a pressing emergency'). Describes a short-term crisis needing immediate help, often financial.

Stroke Order

rán
méi
zhī