迫在眉睫pò zài méi jiépressing in on one's eyelashes (idiom); imminent

1. 1.

   pressing in on one's eyelashes (idiom); imminentidiom

Figurative meaning

Imminent; so close that it must be dealt with right away.

• 迫pressing
• 在(of sb or sth) to be (located) at
• 眉eyebrow
• 睫eyelashes

No attested origin story

迫在眉睫 is often used as a predicate after a problem or task, sometimes with 已经, to stress that it needs action now.

1. HSK 3

   考试迫在眉睫，他每天都在复习。

   Kǎoshì pò zài méi jié, tā měitiān dōu zài fùxí.

   The exam is imminent, so he reviews every day.

2. HSK 4

   这个问题已经迫在眉睫，我们必须马上解决。

   Zhège wèntí yǐjīng pò zài méi jié, wǒmen bìxū mǎshàng jiějué.

   This problem is already imminent; we must solve it right away.

1. 
   Speaker A:

   报告写完了吗？

   Bàogào xiě wán le ma?

   Have you finished the report?

2. 
   Speaker B:

   还没有，下午就要交了。

   Hái méiyǒu, xiàwǔ jiù yào jiāo le.

   Not yet, and it's due this afternoon.

3. 
   Speaker A:

   时间迫在眉睫，快写吧！

   Shíjiān pò zài méi jié, kuài xiě ba!

   The deadline is imminent, hurry up and write!

4. 
   Speaker B:

   好，我现在就写。

   Hǎo, wǒ xiànzài jiù xiě.

   Okay, I'll write it now.

1. 1.What does 迫在眉睫 mean?

   AImminentBTo make matters even worseCUnprecedented
2. 2.Which sentence uses 迫在眉睫 correctly?

   A比赛迫在眉睫，大家都在加紧练习。B这件事迫在眉睫，明年再说吧。C我迫在眉睫地喝了一杯茶。
3. 3.Which idiom fits best? 搬家的日子就在明天，准备工作____。 (Moving day is tomorrow, so the preparations are imminent.)

   A迫在眉睫B雪上加霜C前所未有

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Related idioms

• 自由自在zì yóu zì zàifree and easyNot on the HSK 3.0 syllabus
• 迫不及待pò bù jí dài(idiom) unable to hold oneself back; eager to do sth without delayHSK 7–9
• 一年一度yī nián yī dù(idiom) annual; once a yearNot on the HSK 3.0 syllabus
• 一箭双雕yī jiàn shuāng diāoto kill two birds with one stoneNot on the HSK 3.0 syllabus
• 一见钟情yī jiàn zhōng qíngto fall in love at first sightNot on the HSK 3.0 syllabus
• 三顾茅庐sān gù máo lúto make earnest and repeated requests of sbNot on the HSK 3.0 syllabus

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