noun HSK 5
Traditional 危機
wēi
crisis · critical situation · emergency

Meaning

危机 refers to a critical or dangerous situation that requires urgent attention and action. It can describe personal, economic, political, or environmental emergencies where outcomes are uncertain and potentially harmful. The word combines the concepts of danger and opportunity.

Usage

Commonly used in formal contexts like news, business, and politics to describe serious situations. Often appears in phrases like 经济危机 (economic crisis) or 信任危机 (crisis of confidence). Native speakers use it for both immediate emergencies and longer-term critical situations.

Examples

  1. 01
    这家公司正面临严重的财务危机
    Zhè jiā gōng zhèng miàn lín yán zhòng de cái wēi .
    This company is facing a serious financial crisis.
  2. 02
    全球气候变化已经成为人类的生存危机
    Quán qiú hòu biàn huà jīng chéng wéi rén lèi de shēng cún wēi .
    Global climate change has become a survival crisis for humanity.

Characters

Measure words

  • chǎng一场危机
  • 一次危机

Common collocations

  • 经济危机
    jīng wēi
    economic crisis
  • 金融危机
    jīn róng wēi
    financial crisis
  • 应对危机
    yìng duì wēi
    to respond to a crisis
  • 面临危机
    miàn lín wēi
    to face a crisis

Antonyms

Origin

The word literally means 'danger-opportunity,' reflecting the Chinese philosophical view that crises contain both peril and potential for change or improvement.

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