绝处逢生
jué chù féng shēng
to find a way out of a hopeless situation; to be saved at the last moment
Character by character
绝jué
dead-end
dead-end
处chù
place
place
逢féng
meet
meet
生shēng
life
life
Example
公司差点儿倒闭，靠一款新产品绝处逢生。
The company nearly went under, and one new product brought it back from the brink.
Tone: positive (praise).
Usage and origin
For people, firms or teams rescued when all seemed lost. Compare 起死回生, originally praise for a doctor who brings the dying back to life, which is often causative, with 让 or 使 and whatever does the reviving (新产品让工厂起死回生); 绝处逢生 always centres on the one who comes through.
Learn this in Lesson 157 · HSK 7–9: 器官捐献 (Organ donation)
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.
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