关头 guāntóu juncture
juncture; moment
How to remember 关头: 关 to close + 头 head = juncture.
Characters
How it is used
- 'A critical juncture / decisive moment' - always about a make-or-break point in time: 紧要关头 (jǐnyào guāntóu) at the crucial moment, 生死关头 (shēngsǐ guāntóu) a life-or-death moment.
- Nearly always modified by an adjective like 紧要/关键/危急; it marks the turning point where things hang in the balance.
Example sentences
- 缓期执行在最后关头决定了下来。 Huǎnqī zhíxíng zài zuìhòu guāntóu juédìng le xiàlái.A stay of execution was ordered at the eleventh hour.