危うく

• 読み: あやうく
• ローマ字: ayauku
• 漢字の分解: 危 (ayau) — danger, peril
• 発音: /a.ja.ɯ.kɯ/

意味

Barely; narrowly; nearly. Indicating that something dangerous or undesirable was just avoided.

An adverb derived from the i-adjective 危うい (ayaui, dangerous/precarious). Used to express a close call, where something bad almost happened but was narrowly averted. Often followed by ～ところだった (was about to) to complete the near-miss construction. Conveys relief mixed with the seriousness of what could have occurred.

例文

1. 危うく電車に乗り遅れるところだった。
2. 危うく財布を落とすところだったよ。
3. 車にぶつかりそうになって危うく大事故になるところだった。

使い方ガイド

場面: daily life, accidents, close calls

トーン: relieved

起源と歴史

From the adverbial form of 危うい (ayaui, dangerous/precarious). The kanji 危 (ki/ayau, danger) conveys the sense of risk. The -ku form converts the adjective into an adverb meaning 'dangerously close to.'

文化的背景

時代: Classical

世代: All ages

社会的背景: Universal