千钧一发 (qiān jūn yī fà)

lit. a thousand pounds hangs by a thread (idiom); fig. (at the) critic

Character breakdown

千 (qiān) · 3 strokes

Phonosemantic compound. 一 represents the meaning and 亻 represents the sound.
钧 (jūn) · 9 strokes

Phonosemantic compound. 钅 represents the meaning and 匀 represents the sound. Simplified form of 鈞.
一 (yī) · 1 strokes

A single horizontal stroke, representing the number one.
发 (fā) · 5 strokes

Simplified form of both 發 (send out) and 髮 (hair). Visually similar to 犮, the bottom component of 髮.

Usage

在千钧一发之际，他接住了掉落的孩子。
a thousand pounds hangs by a thread (idiom); imminent peril; a matter of life or death
zài qiān jūn yī fà zhī jì ， tā jiē zhù le diào luò de hái zi 。