危急

• Pinyin: wēi jí
• Hanzi breakdown: 危 = cliff + person — danger; 急 = 刀 (knife) + 心 (heart) + 彐 (seek) — pressing urgency in the heart

Meaning

Critical; urgent; in a state of imminent danger. Describes an extremely urgent and dangerous situation.

Used when a situation is simultaneously dangerous and urgent — requiring immediate action. Common in medical emergencies (病情危急 — the condition is critical), military crises, and disaster reporting. Stronger than 紧急 (urgent) alone — it carries the additional dimension of danger.

Examples

1. 患者病情危急，医护人员立即启动了紧急救治程序。 The patient's condition was critical, and the medical team immediately activated the emergency treatment protocol.
2. 前线形势危急，指挥部决定立即增派援军。 The situation at the front line was critical, and the command centre decided to immediately dispatch reinforcements.
3. 火势蔓延速度极快，山区居民面临危急处境，必须迅速撤离。 The fire spread at an extremely fast rate; residents in the mountain areas faced a critical situation and had to evacuate quickly.

Usage Guide

Context: medical, military, disaster

Tone: urgent

Do Say

• 情况危急，请立即拨打急救电话！(The situation is critical — please call emergency services immediately!)
• 他的生命体征危急，医生正在全力抢救。(His vital signs are critical and the doctors are doing everything to save him.)

Don't Say

• 将危急用于轻微紧急场景，如'我危急地需要喝水' — 危急 implies life-threatening or serious institutional danger; use 着急 or 紧急 for everyday urgency

Origin & History

Compound of 危 (danger) and 急 (urgent, pressing). Together: dangerously urgent — a critical emergency.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal