化险为夷

huà xiǎn wéi yí

to turn danger into safety; to come through a crisis

Character by character

化huà
turn

险xiǎn
danger

为wéi
into

夷yí
safety

幸好司机反应快，刹车及时，大家才化险为夷。

Luckily the driver reacted fast and braked in time, so everyone came through unharmed.

Tone: positive (praise).

夷 here is classical for flat and safe ground. It praises the quick thinking, skill or luck that got people through: 多次化险为夷.

Learn this in Lesson 112 · HSK 7–9: 台风来了 (Typhoon warning: a weather report)

A dialogue, a reading, word cards with audio and a drill that uses it, in Learn Chinese with Bao. The first lessons of every level are free.