临危受命
lín wēi shòu mìng
to take on a mission at a time of crisis
Character by character
临lín
facing
facing
危wēi
danger
danger
受shòu
receive
receive
命mìng
orders
orders
Example
公司濒临倒闭，他临危受命，当上了总经理。
With the company on the brink of collapse, he stepped in at the hour of crisis as general manager.
Tone: positive (praise).
Usage and origin
Of someone appointed or sent when things are already going badly: 临危受命，出任…, 临危受命，赶赴…. It echoes 诸葛亮’s line in the 出师表, 受任于败军之际，奉命于危难之间 (I took office as the army was routed and accepted orders amid peril). Praise for courage, not for a routine promotion.
Learn this in Lesson 159 · HSK 7–9: 伍连德与1910年鼠疫 (Wu Lien-teh and the plague of 1910)
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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