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一触即発

いっしょくそくはつ

explosive situation, hair-trigger

By Nihongo PathUpdated

Examples

  1. 一触即発の状態だ。

    いっしょくそくはつのじょうたいだ。

    It is a hair-trigger situation.

  2. 両国は一触即発の危機にある。

    りょうこくはいっしょくそくはつのききにある。

    The two countries are in a crisis that could ignite at any moment.

  3. 会議は一触即発の雰囲気に包まれていた。

    かいぎはいっしょくそくはつのふんいきにつつまれていた。

    The meeting was wrapped in an atmosphere that could explode at any second.

Common patterns

一触即発の状態
a hair-trigger state
一触即発の危機
a crisis on a knife edge
一触即発の緊張
explosive tension

Memory tip

Touch it once (一触) and it goes off at once (即発). It describes tension that has not yet broken — usually 〜の状態 / 〜の危機 — most often between countries or hostile groups. 危機一髪 is different: there the danger has already been survived.

Kanji in this word

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What does 一触即発 mean?