千載一遇

• Reading: せんざいいちぐう
• Romaji: senzaiichigu
• Kanji breakdown: 千 (sen) — thousand; 載 (zai) — year (classical); 一 (ichi) — one; 遇 (gū) — encounter
• Pronunciation: /seɴzaiitɕiɡɯː/

Meaning

A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity; an extremely rare chance that may never come again.

A yojijukugo meaning literally 'one encounter in a thousand years.' It is used to describe an opportunity so rare and valuable that it would be foolish to let it pass. Always used for positive, desirable chances — never negative events. Common in motivational speech and written encouragement.

Examples

1. これは千載一遇のチャンスだ。逃がしてはならない。 This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. We must not let it slip away.
2. 千載一遇の機会を掴むために、万全の準備をしてきた。 I made thorough preparations to seize this once-in-a-lifetime chance.
3. 歴史的な和解は千載一遇の瞬間として記録されるだろう。 The historic reconciliation will be recorded as a once-in-a-lifetime moment.

Usage Guide

Context: motivational, journalism, formal speech, business

Tone: emphatic

Origin & History

From 千載 (a thousand years) and 一遇 (one meeting, one encounter). The compound originates from classical Chinese literature and entered Japanese as a fixed four-character idiom.

Cultural Context

Era: Classical–Present

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal