千钧一发
qiān jūn yī fà
a thousand pounds hangs by a thread (idiom); imminent peril; a matter of life or death
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HSK levels
千钧一发: New to the HSK lists at HSK 7-9. See where your old level lands
New exam levels follow the CLEC syllabus released 15 November 2025. The first official sitting of the new exam is announced for 13 December 2026, for HSK 1 to 6. HSK 7-9 is one advanced band.
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Frequently Asked Questions
千钧一发 (qiān jūn yī fà) means "a thousand pounds hangs by a thread (idiom); imminent peril; a matter of life or death" in Chinese. The new HSK exam tests it at HSK 7-9.
千钧一发 is pronounced "qiān jūn yī fà" in Mandarin Chinese. It is made up of 4 syllables.
千钧一发 is an HSK 7-9 word on the new HSK exam syllabus.
千钧一发 is made up of the characters 千, 钧, 一, 发. Each character has its own meaning and can appear in other words.
You can practice writing 千钧一发 using our stroke order tool.
Reviewed by RJ Murray, Founder, HSK Lord.